ESA's New Deep Space Antenna Undergoes Final Acceptance Testing

ESA's new 35-metre deep-space dish antenna, located at Cebreros, near Avila, Spain, is undergoing final acceptance testing. (ESA photo)

AVILA, Spain, Sept. 19, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — European Space Agency’s new deep space radio antenna in Cebreros (Ávila, Spain) will be officially inaugurated on September 28.

The new 35-meter antenna is ESA’s second facility devoted to communications with spacecraft on interplanetary missions or placed in very distant orbits. Cebreros’ first task will be that of tracking ESA’s Venus Express spacecraft, due for launch in October.

Up until three years ago, for missions requiring such a facility, ESA said it had to rely on NASA’s Deep Space Network. ESA’s science program for the next decade includes many deep space missions, and independent access to deep space was identified as a necessity. In 2002, ESA’s first deep space antenna, located in New Norcia (Australia), began operations.

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