ESA Inaugurates New Deep Space Antenna in Australia, Enhancing Global Space Capabilities

Edited by: Tetiana Martynovska 17

The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially inaugurated ESA's fourth deep space antenna, a new 35-meter deep space antenna in New Norcia, Western Australia. This marks a significant expansion of ESA's Estrack network, its global communication infrastructure, which includes stations in Spain and Argentina, and is expected to greatly improve the agency's capacity to support scientific, exploration, and space safety missions throughout the solar system. The inauguration ceremony took place on October 4, 2025, with the antenna expected to enter service in 2026, highlighting Australia's growing importance as a partner in international space endeavors.

ESA's fourth deep space antenna, the 'New Norcia 3' antenna is a product of advanced engineering, incorporating cryogenically cooled components designed to detect extremely faint signals from distant spacecraft. Construction began in 2021 and was completed on schedule, a testament to the strong collaboration between ESA, European, and Australian industries. This strategic investment aims to meet the increasing demand for data download and solidify Europe's leadership in space exploration. Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, emphasized the antenna's role in maximizing the scientific return from missions by optimizing data transmission, aiming to increase data return by up to 40%. He also noted the burgeoning opportunities for collaboration between the European and Australian space sectors, particularly following Australia's announcement of its intent to negotiate a cooperation agreement with ESA, which would grant Australian businesses and researchers greater access to ESA's space science programs and missions.

The fourth deep space antenna in the Estrack network, the 'New Norcia 3' antenna will be crucial for supporting a variety of current and future ESA missions, including Juice, Solar Orbiter, BepiColombo, Plato, and Envision. Beyond its direct support for ESA, the antenna will also foster international cooperation by offering its capabilities to other space agencies such as NASA, JAXA, and ISRO, as well as commercial space missions, thereby amplifying scientific discoveries and operational efficiencies for all involved parties.

Australia has a long-standing role in deep space communications, with its collaboration with ESA dating back to 1979, with the New Norcia ground station established in 2003. The Australian Space Agency contributed €3 million to the station's evolution, with the total construction cost for the new antenna estimated at €62.3 million. Enrico Palermo, Director of the Australian Space Agency, stated that Australia is recognized as a reliable and capable operator in space communications and anticipates that this investment will generate substantial local economic value and employment over the antenna's projected 50-year lifespan. The construction was a collaborative effort, led by European industry with Thales Alenia Space and Schwartz Hautmont as lead contractors, while Australian companies also played a significant role, contributing a significant part of the budget. Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, described the antenna as a cornerstone for both European and Australian space industries, enabling deeper exploration. The New Norcia ground station and its antennas are operated locally by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, which also manages NASA's space communications complex in Tidbinbilla. ESA acknowledges and respects the Yued people of the Noongar nation as the traditional owners and custodians of the land where the antenna is situated.

Sources

  • European Space Agency (ESA)

  • ESA abre una nueva antena de espacio profundo en Australia

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