ESA inaugurates new deep space antenna in Australia
by Jeff Foust
October 5, 2025
New Norcia
Officials celebrate the completion of a new ESA deep space communications antenna at the New Norcia site in Western Australia. Credit: ESA
SYDNEY — The European Space Agency has inaugurated a new deep space antenna in Australia as part of efforts to strengthen ties between Europe and Australia in space.
At an Oct. 4 event in New Norcia, Western Australia, ESA marked the completion of a new 35-meter antenna for communicating with spacecraft throughout the solar system. The antenna is the second at New Norcia and the fourth in ESA’s Estrack network worldwide.
“This strategic investment reinforces ESA’s deep space communication capabilities and maximizes the return of our missions’ most valuable asset: data delivered from spacecraft voyaging far from Earth,” Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s director general, said in a statement about the opening.
The antenna, called New Norcia 3, will support communications with ESA spacecraft once it begins operations, expected next March. It includes upgrades such as cryocooling of the receiver to reduce noise and increase sensitivity.
More:
https://spacenews.com/esa-inaugurates-new-deep-space-antenna-in-australia/
