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ESA To Build Its Third Deep Space Ground Station In Argentina
Paris, France (ESA) Jun 29, 2009 On 22 June, ESA informed Argentinean authorities that an area 30 km south of the town of Malargue in Mendoza province, about 1000 km west of Buenos Aires, has been chosen as the best option to build a new 35-metre antenna in support of its programmes. It is the first infrastructure to be built in Argentina by ESA. "The site offers all the features that are required for a long-term ground segment investment. We are very pleased that we could pave the way for promising space missions with the support of the Argentinean authorities," said Gaele Winters, ESA Director of Operations and Infrastructure.
Malargue desert area offers ideal conditions The Malargue site is situated in a desert area, free from radio interference and with frequency usage guaranteed in the longer term by Argentina's National Communications Commission. ESA's deep space network currently has two 35-metre tracking stations, one in Cebreros, Spain, and the other in New Norcia, Australia. The third station in Argentina will join these and the seven other 15m stations forming the core ESTRACK network. The 600-tonne dish will complete the 360-degree deep space coverage needed to ensure full telecommunications during mission-critical events and enhance the return of scientific data. The antenna will become operational from mid-2012 in support of scientific and exploration missions. The finalisation of the legal framework with Argentina is anticipated end-August 2009, so as to allow for approval by the ESA Council in October 2009. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Take Your Classroom Into SpaceParis, France (ESA) Jun 25, 2009 A Europe-wide education event will link the International Space Station with hundreds of schoolchildren in several European cities. In a live link-up with the ISS, scheduled for 21 September, ESA astronaut Frank De Winne will perform a simple experiment in space to demonstrate the effects of freefall. The event is enabled by ESA's Directorate of Human Spaceflight and its Erasmus Centre and ... read more |
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