> On the HGA we expect ≥18 kilobits per second (kbps) (≥12 kbps during Grav passes due to power required for carrier signal), and ≥10 bps on the MGA.
HGA = High Gain Antenna, MGA = Medium Gain Antenna. HGA activity is limited to when the spacecraft is precisely aligned towards Earth:
> Due to the nutation of the spinning spacecraft following any maneuvers, we will need to allow several hours for nutation damping following Earth-point maneuvers before using the HGA.
> Currently we allow 8 hours prior to most DSN tracks and 16 hours prior to the 6-hour MWR or Grav perijove science passes that start at PJ – 3 h.
So it's not necessarily any slower than your modem once it gets going, it just has terrible latency and dialing the connection can take the better part of a day.
> On the HGA we expect ≥18 kilobits per second (kbps) (≥12 kbps during Grav passes due to power required for carrier signal), and ≥10 bps on the MGA.
HGA = High Gain Antenna, MGA = Medium Gain Antenna. HGA activity is limited to when the spacecraft is precisely aligned towards Earth:
> Due to the nutation of the spinning spacecraft following any maneuvers, we will need to allow several hours for nutation damping following Earth-point maneuvers before using the HGA.
> Currently we allow 8 hours prior to most DSN tracks and 16 hours prior to the 6-hour MWR or Grav perijove science passes that start at PJ – 3 h.
So it's not necessarily any slower than your modem once it gets going, it just has terrible latency and dialing the connection can take the better part of a day.