![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2015\/08\/tracking_downunder\/15547041-1-eng-GB\/Tracking_downunder_small.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
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\nThis image shows the 35 m-diameter dish antenna of ESA\u2019s deep-space tracking station at New Norcia, Australia, illuminated by ground lights against the night sky on 3 August 2015.\n<\/p>\n
\nNew Norcia (DSA-1) is part of the Agency\u2019s Estrack ground station network; it is located 140 km north of Perth, Western Australia, about 8 km from the town of New Norcia.\n<\/p>\n
\nEstrack is a global system of ground stations providing links between satellites in orbit and the European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany. The core network comprises 10 stations in seven countries. \n<\/p>\n
\nThe essential task of all ESA tracking stations is to communicate with spacecraft, transmitting commands and receiving scientific data and spacecraft status information.\n<\/p>\n
\nOur technically advanced stations can track spacecraft almost anywhere \u2013 circling Earth, watching the Sun, orbiting at the scientifically crucial Sun\u2013Earth Lagrange points or voyaging deep into our Solar System.\n<\/p>\n
\nLike its sister 35 m stations at Cebreros, Spain, and Malarg\u00fce, Argentina, New Norcia station uses advanced European technology to communicate with deep-space missions such as Mars Express, Rosetta, BepiColombo and Gaia.\n<\/p>\n
\nESA shares Estrack capacity with other space agencies, who in turn support ESA missions. For example, NASA\u2019s Deep Space Network routinely supports Rosetta and Mars Express, while Estrack is working with Japan\u2019s Hayabusa-2 asteroid mission.\n<\/p>\n
\nIn recent years, Estrack has supported missions operated by China and Russia, as well as tracking the descent of NASA rovers to the surface of Mars.\n<\/p>\n
\nThis global cooperation allows all agencies to make use of a wide number of ground stations in geographically advantageous locations, maximising efficiency and boosting scientific returns for all.\n<\/p>\n
\nIn 2015, Estrack turns 40 and will celebrate four decades of linking people with spacecraft travelling to the frontiers of human knowledge.\n<\/p>\n
\nTo help mark this milestone, ESA is hosting the \u2018Estrack 40th Anniversary Sound Contest\u2019 and is inviting composers to submit their audio compositions, one of which will be selected as the new theme audio for Estrack (see link below for details).\n<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \nEstrack website<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nStation webcams<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n#Estrack40 contest in SoundCloud<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nESOC<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \t\t\t\t\t \nThis image shows the 35 m-diameter dish antenna of ESA\u2019s deep-space tracking station at New Norcia, Australia, illuminated by ground lights against the night sky on 3 August 2015.\n<\/p>\n \nNew Norcia (DSA-1) is part of the Agency\u2019s Estrack ground station network; it is located 140 km north of Perth, Western Australia, about 8 km from the town of New Norcia.\n<\/p>\n \nEstrack is a global system of ground stations providing links between satellites in orbit and the European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany. The core network comprises 10 stations in seven countries. \n<\/p>\n \nThe essential task of all ESA tracking stations is to communicate with spacecraft, transmitting commands and receiving scientific data and spacecraft status information.\n<\/p>\n \nOur technically advanced stations can track spacecraft almost anywhere \u2013 circling Earth, watching the Sun, orbiting at the scientifically crucial Sun\u2013Earth Lagrange points or voyaging deep into our Solar System.\n<\/p>\n \nLike its sister 35 m stations at Cebreros, Spain, and Malarg\u00fce, Argentina, New Norcia station uses advanced European technology to communicate with deep-space missions such as Mars Express, Rosetta, BepiColombo and Gaia.\n<\/p>\n \nESA shares Estrack capacity with other space agencies, who in turn support ESA missions. For example, NASA\u2019s Deep Space Network routinely supports Rosetta and Mars Express, while Estrack is working with Japan\u2019s Hayabusa-2 asteroid mission.\n<\/p>\n \nIn recent years, Estrack has supported missions operated by China and Russia, as well as tracking the descent of NASA rovers to the surface of Mars.\n<\/p>\n \nThis global cooperation allows all agencies to make use of a wide number of ground stations in geographically advantageous locations, maximising efficiency and boosting scientific returns for all.\n<\/p>\n \nIn 2015, Estrack turns 40 and will celebrate four decades of linking people with spacecraft travelling to the frontiers of human knowledge.\n<\/p>\n \nTo help mark this milestone, ESA is hosting the \u2018Estrack 40th Anniversary Sound Contest\u2019 and is inviting composers to submit their audio compositions, one of which will be selected as the new theme audio for Estrack (see link below for details).\n<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \nEstrack website<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nStation webcams<\/a>\n<\/p>\nCredit: D. O\u2019Donnell<\/a>\/ESA \u2013 CC BY-SA 3.0<\/h5>\n
More information<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nCredit: D. O\u2019Donnell<\/a>\/ESA \u2013 CC BY-SA 3.0<\/h5>\n
More information<\/h3>\n