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Paris, 5 March 2003
Press Release
Nx 14-2003

ESA's first deep space ground station opens in Western Australia
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The inauguration ceremony for the European Space Agency's first deep 
space ground station was held today in New Norcia, 150km north of 
Perth.

The completion of the New Norcia facility, its first deep space ground
station, is an important event for ESA. The station will play a major 
role in the Agency's deep space missions, including Rosetta and Mars 
Express, the latter expected to launch in May this year.

The key component of the ground station is its massive antenna which
weighs over 600 tonnes and is over 40 metres high. It can move 540 
tonnes of ballast, cantilever and 35 metre dish while maintaining 
precision accuracy of its beam.

New Norcia is the first of a series deep space ground stations that 
ESA intends to build around the world over the coming years to make up 
a European deep space network.

Construction of the EUR 28 million project began in April 2000. The 
last six months of 2002 were devoted to testing the electronic and
communication equipment. After an initial manned period, the station 
will be controlled remotely from ESA's European Space Operations 
Centre in Darmstadt (Germany) and the Perth International 
Telecommunications Centre at Gnangara.

Professor David Southwood, ESA Director of Science, said New Norcia 
was chosen over a number of sites in the southern hemisphere.

"This site has excellent weather conditions, sits on the perfect 
latitude for deep space operations and is sufficiently distant from 
urban areas so that no other transmission devices disturb the 
satellite's transmissions," he said.

"Western Australia also has high quality telecommunications 
infrastructure and we are working closely with Xantic because of its 
experience in the maintenance and operation of tracking stations.

"Working with Australians on this project has been a very satisfying
experience. The local contractors worked with the support of 
international satellite construction specialists and performed very 
well. Many of the team currently operating the antenna are also 
Australian and have returned from overseas positions in the industry."

The Premier of Western Australia, the Hon Dr Geoff Gallop, officially
'switched on' the deep space ground station.

For more information, please contact :
Jocelyne Landeau-Constantin
ESA/ESOC
Tel: +49(0)6151.90.2696
Fax: +49(0)6151.90.2961

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