NASA has pinned the DSS-14 antenna mishap at Goldstone on an azimuth over-rotation triggered by weak training, poor procedures and a failed hydraulic limit system. The 70-metre Deep Space Network dish over-ran its design limits while tracking Juno, damaging cabling, structural supports and fire-suppression water lines that flooded the base.
No injuries were reported, but the antenna remains offline as repairs and recertification continue. The board’s findings point to a breakdown in safeguard discipline, with operators bypassing protections during troubleshooting and relying on undocumented practices. For DSN operators, the incident is a reminder that mission support capacity now depends as much on procedural control as on hardware margin.