DSN

DSN is an acronym with more than one notable meaning, depending on the field of reference. In information technology, DSN most commonly stands for Data Source Name, a data connection alias used by ODBC and related data access technologies to describe a data source. A DSN specifies the driver, server address, database name, and optional credentials needed to establish a connection. There are three DSN types: System DSN, which is available to any user on a machine; User DSN, specific to a single user; and File DSN, which stores the information in a portable file. On Windows, DSNs are managed through the ODBC Data Source Administrator; on Unix-like systems, they are defined in configuration files such as odbc.ini.

In space science and astronomy, DSN refers to the Deep Space Network, NASA’s global system of large radio antennas used for communication with interplanetary spacecraft and for radio science experiments. The DSN is organized into three complexes located roughly 120 degrees apart in longitude to provide near-continuous coverage: Goldstone in California, USA; Madrid in Spain; and Canberra in Australia. The network operates 34-meter and 70-meter dish antennas and supports telemetry, tracking, and command functions across multiple frequencies, including X-band and Ka-band. It plays a critical role in mission phases ranging from launch and planetary encounters to long-duration deep-space operations, enabling data downlink as well as uplink and command capabilities.

Because DSN is an acronym with multiple established meanings, the intended sense is determined by the context in which it is used.