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\nOn 5 May 2018, ESA’s 35 m-diameter deep-space radio dish at New Norcia, Western Australia, monitored NASA\u2019s InSight spacecraft<\/a> providing critical tracking support during launch and early operations on its journey to Mars. \n<\/p>\n \nESA\u2019s New Norcia station maintained contact with InSight<\/a> and its two MarCOs CubeSats as backup to NASA\u2019s own Deep Space Network ground station at Canberra, on the easterly side of the continent.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cNASA requested our support because, at this time of year, the southern hemisphere has very good visibility of the trajectory to Mars,\u201d explained Daniel Firre, the Agency\u2019s ESA-NASA cross-support service manager.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThis meant our Australia station was ideally located to provide back-up support to their DSN station at Canberra.\u201d \n<\/p>\n \nNew Norcia will also be involved in monitoring Insight\u2019s Mars touchdown on 26 November.\n<\/p>\n \nESA\u2019s deep-space station at Malarg\u00fce, Argentina, also in the southern hemisphere, worked in coordination with New Norcia to provide additional tracking coverage on launch day.\n<\/p>\n \nSince inauguration in March 2003, New Norcia station<\/a> has been used for communications with Mars Express, Rosetta, Venus Express and Gaia, among other ESA and partner agency missions.\n<\/p>\n \nMore information<\/b>\n<\/p>\n \nEstrack<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nNew Norcia<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nMalargue<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nOn 5 May 2018, ESA’s 35 m-diameter deep-space radio dish at New Norcia, Western Australia, monitored NASA’s InSight spacecraft<\/a> providing critical tracking support during launch and early operations on its journey to Mars. \n<\/p>\n \nESA’s New Norcia station maintained contact with InSight<\/a> and its two MarCOs CubeSats as backup to NASA’s own Deep Space Network ground station at Canberra, on the easterly side of the continent.\n<\/p>\n \n“NASA requested our support because, at this time of year, the southern hemisphere has very good visibility of the trajectory to Mars,” explained Daniel Firre, the Agency’s ESA-NASA cross-support service manager.\n<\/p>\n \n“This meant our Australia station was ideally located to provide back-up support to their DSN station at Canberra.” \n<\/p>\n \nNew Norcia will also be involved in monitoring Insight’s Mars touchdown on 26 November.\n<\/p>\n \nESA’s deep-space station at Malargüe, Argentina, also in the southern hemisphere, worked in coordination with New Norcia to provide additional tracking coverage on launch day.\n<\/p>\n \nSince inauguration in March 2003, New Norcia station<\/a> has been used for communications with Mars Express, Rosetta, Venus Express and Gaia, among other ESA and partner agency missions.\n<\/p>\n \nMore information<\/b>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n