On 31 May 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) made history by transmitting a live performance of The Blue Danube Waltz into space from its Cebreros deep space antenna in Spain. This symbolic gesture elevated Johann Strauss II’s famous waltz, often considered the unofficial ‘anthem of space’, to its rightful place among the stars.
A live performance by the renowned Wiener Symphoniker (Vienna Symphony Orchestra), conducted by Petr Popelka, was held at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna. At precisely 21:30 CEST, the performance was transmitted into space from ESA’s Cebreros deep space antenna, in Spain.
Located just a few dozen kilometres from Madrid, the Cebreros ground station was inaugurated in 2005 as the second deep space antenna in ESA’s Estrack satellite tracking network. With its 35-meter dish, it provides routine support to ESA deep-space missions, like: Mars Express, BepiColombo, Juice and Hera.
The antenna also supports missions from international partners, such as NASA, CNES and JAXA, boosting science return and operational efficiency for all parties involved.
Now, as ESA celebrates 50 years of Estrack and 20 years of Cebreros, the station has also become the site of a cultural milestone, transmitting a composition that has long been associated with space exploration.