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Application of the Deep Space Network (DSN) to the testing of General Relativity*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2017

J. D. Anderson ,
G. S. Levy  and
N. A. Renzetti
J. D. Anderson
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 U.S.A.
G. S. Levy
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 U.S.A.
N. A. Renzetti
Affiliation:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 U.S.A.

Abstract

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Over the past two decades, radar and radio observations of planets and spacecraft have been made by stations of the Deep Space Network (DSN), which by the unprecedented nature of their accuracy have produced the most accurate tests of general relativity available. We review the history of the instrumentation and data analysis of the first spacecraft test, the three percent determination of the effect of solar gravity on radio signals between DSN stations and the two spacecraft, Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 (Anderson et al., 1975), as well as later more accurate tests using the Mariner 9 spacecraft anchored to Mars (Reasenberg and Shapiro, 1977; Anderson et al., 1978) and the Viking orbiters and landers (Shapiro et al., 1977; Hellings, 1985). We also review tests of the metric nature of gravity using radar, optical observations, and radio astrometry of the planets (Anderson et al., 1978; Reasenberg, 1985; Hellings, 1985) and the limits placed on the variability of the gravitational constant G (Hellings et al., 1983). Finally, we discuss the prospects for improved accuracy through ongoing upgrades of DSN instrumentation and show the results of covariance analyses for a possible future NASA mission to the Sun (Solar Probe) in the mid 1990's (Mease et al., 1984) and the next NASA mission to Mars, the Mars Observer mission planned for launch in late 1990.

Type
High Precision Observations and Relativity
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 114: Relativity in Celestial Mechanics and Astrometry , 1986 , pp. 329 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1986 

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