NEWS BRIEFING: European Space Agency to launch a new deep space antenna in WA

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-09-24 15:00

Australia; International; SA; WA

Credit: ESA

*** Briefing recording now available *** A new CSIRO-run deep space antenna will be launched by the European Space Agency in New Norcia, Western Australia, on the 4th of October. The 35-metre antenna will expand the deep space communication capabilities of the European Space Agency and support future science missions such as Vigil, which will monitor our Sun for potentially hazardous solar activity; the data collected by this mission will be used by Australian researchers working in the area of ‘space weather’.

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The briefing discussed the following issues:

How the New Norcia antenna was built and how it will work
How Australia and ESA are working together to improve access to space
The deep space missions that the antenna will support, including the Vigil mission to monitor the sun

Speakers:

Piermario Besso - Head of the Antenna & Infrastructure Section, ESA
Enrico Palermo - Head of the Australian Space Agency
Suzy Jackson - New Norcia Station Manager, CSIRO
Giuseppe Mandorlo - Mission manager for the Vigil operational space weather warning mission, ESA

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Briefing materials European Space Agency (ESA) PDF , 142.0 KB NNO3 Inauguration - Factsheet

Briefing materials European Space Agency (ESA) PDF , 350.4 KB NNO3 Inauguration - FAQ

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Organisation/s: CSIRO, Australian Space Agency

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