The US Space Agency NASA is facing a repair bill of between $4.1 and $4.6 million for Deep Space Station 14, its 70-meter RF antenna near Barstow, California - all because of what it has found to be inadequate procedures and inadequate training of workers A report recently released by the agency said that its investigation found a number of primary causes, including human error, weaknesses in software and an undetected failure in the antenna's hydraulic limit system, which is its final mechanical safeguard.
The incident that took the antenna out of service occurred last September as it was tracking the Juno mission for deep-space exploration focused on Jupiter. The antenna over-rotated, adding stress to structural supports and cables and damaging water lines feeding the antenna's fire-suppression system. An article on NASA's website states that investigators concluded that operators felt compelled by "workplace culture" to work as quickly and efficiently as possible [quote] "often stretching beyond their usual roles, expertise and training to keep the antenna operating." [endquote]
NASA considers these findings to be its final report. The antenna, a key part of the Deep Space Network, is expected to be out of service until October of 2028
