Human Error Grounds NASA’s Deep Space Antenna, $4M-plus Repair Bill

NASA’s Deep Space Network suffered a major mishap at DSS-14 when an electrical fault misreported rotation caused over-rotation and damage to cabling, hydraulics, and the fire-suppress system; operators troubleshooting the limit stops bypassed safeguards, and an undocumented failure plus an inoperable hydraulic limit system amplified the damage. Repairs are estimated at $4.1–$4.6 million and could stretch to October 2028. NASA says it will tighten procedures, training, and in-house capabilities across all DSN sites to prevent a repeat.