Friday Filed, From "Down Under": A New 35 Meter Deep Space Dish Comes Online, For ESA...

Given that NASA remains in shutdown -- nearly two weeks on, with no new web-content being posted. . . we turn (again) to our EU brothers and sisters. [And, in the spirit of international scientific cooperation, I am certain that this new esa 35 meter dish would also be available -- if the Australian Goldstone dish system NASA itself operates. . . were to become unavailable for any reason.]

Even so, this marks the third in the triad that the European Space Agency operates, about 70 miles north of Perth, Australia. Read on:

. . .The European Space Agency (ESA) has expanded its capability to communicate with scientific, exploration and space safety missions across our Solar System with the inauguration of a new 35-m diameter deep space antenna – the fourth for Estrack, ESA’s deep space tracking network.

Located in New Norcia, about 115 km north of Perth, Western Australia, the ‘New Norcia 3’ antenna will help meet the agency’s fast-increasing data download needs and secure Europe’s independence and leadership in space. . . .

Started in 2021. . . this construction is the result of the outstanding capabilities of ESA, European and Australian industry, and excellent cooperation with our Australian partners. . . . [I]t will support ESA’s current flagship missions flown as part of the agency's scientific, exploration and space safety fleets, including Juice, Solar Orbiter, BepiColombo, Mars Express and Hera, and will be a critical enabler for upcoming missions including Plato, Envision, Ariel, Ramses and Vigil. . . .

[This] will also serve ESA’s efforts towards international collaboration. As part of mutual cross-support arrangements with the agency’s partners, the new antenna can support other space agencies such as NASA, Japan’s JAXA, and India’s ISRO as well as commercial space missions, boosting science return and operational efficiency for all parties involved. . . .

Now you know. Smiling -- be excellent to one another, this weekend -- we are all we've got. Now -- onward. Ever, onward.

नमस्ते