New Norcia Station
Encyclopedia
New Norcia Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK
radio
antenna for communication with spacecraft
in deep space. It is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) 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 Australia at the time, Dr Geoff Gallop. The New Norcia antenna has an almost identical sister station, Cebreros Station
, near Madrid
, Spain. A third similar station, Malargüe Station
, is under construction in Argentina, and will provide 360 degree coverage for deep space missions when completed.
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 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 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of the town of New Norcia, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It was 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...
. The station was officially opened on 5 March 2003 by the Premier of Western Australia at the time, Dr Geoff Gallop. The New Norcia antenna has an almost identical sister station, 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. A third similar station, Malargüe Station
Malargüe Station
Malargüe Station is a 35-metre ESTRACK radio antenna currently under construction in Argentina. It is being built for the European Space Agency for communication with spacecraft in deep space. It is located south of the town of Malargüe, Argentina...
, is under construction in Argentina, and will provide 360 degree coverage for deep space missions when completed.