Malargüe Station
Encyclopedia
Malargüe Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK
ESTRACK
The European Space Operations Centre operates a number of ground-based space-tracking stations for the European Space Agency known as the European Space Tracking network. The stations support various ESA spacecraft and facilitate communications between ground operators and scientific probes such...

 radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

 antenna currently under construction in Argentina. It is being built for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...

 (ESA) for communication with spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....

 in deep space. It is located 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) south of the town of Malargüe
Malargüe
- Transport and infrastructures :- Transportation :Malargüe is linked to the north of Mendoza by National Route 40. This route continues south, entering Neuquén Province, but is only partially built and not well maintained beyond Malargüe City....

, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

. The Malargüe antenna has two sister stations, Cebreros Station
Cebreros Station
Cebreros Station is an INSA-operated, ESTRACK radio antenna station for communication with spacecraft located 90 km from Madrid, Spain. A 35-metre diameter antenna that receives in X- and Ka-bands is located at the site...

, near Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

, Spain, and New Norcia Station
New Norcia Station
New Norcia Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK radio antenna for communication with spacecraft in deep space. It is located south of the town of New Norcia, Western Australia. It was built for the European Space Agency. The station was officially opened on 5 March 2003 by the Premier of Western...

 near New Norcia, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The completion of this station will allow deep space missions to be tracked continuously. ESA expects the station to be operational in 2012.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK