ESA inaugurates new deep space antenna in Australia

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.

“It’s the most modern, most advanced antenna ESA has,” said Mehran Sarkarati, head of ESA’s ground station engineering division, at a briefing last month about the project.

The antenna joins a similar one at New Norcia and others in Argentina and Spain to meet growing demand for space communications. “Everything is becoming more data intensive: our payloads and instruments are becoming more advanced, and our missions are increasing,” Sarkarati said.

“Even with this, we are going to be short on capacity,” he added, noting that ESA is proposing to build a fifth deep space antenna in South America.

New Norcia 3 cost ESA 62.3 million euros ($73.2 million). The Australian government contributed 4 million Australian dollars ($2.6 million) to support the antenna’s development.

Enrico Palermo, head of the Australian Space Agency, said at the briefing that his country’s contribution was not tied to a specific part of the project but to general support. The agency expects the antenna to generate an economic impact of $4.5 million annually over its 50-year life. “That’s quite a significant economic return, locally, on the $4 million investment,” he said.

The New Norcia site is managed by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, which also operates NASA’s Deep Space Network complex near Canberra. “It deepens Australia’s reputation in deep space communications,” Palermo said. “We want to remain a trusted partner in the world’s exploration missions, and we see that continuing through New Norcia 3.”

The broader partnership between Europe and Australia in space, which dates back decades, is also expanding. During the International Astronautical Congress here Sept. 29, the Australian government announced plans to pursue a formal cooperative agreement with ESA. That could eventually give Australia a status similar to Canada’s within ESA, allowing Australian companies and organizations to participate in ESA programs.

“New and exciting opportunities between the European and Australian space sectors are opening up with Australia announcing this week a mandate to begin negotiations on a cooperative agreement with ESA,” Aschbacher said.