Overview

• The New Norcia 3 antenna was opened on Oct. 4 as the fourth deep-space dish in ESA’s Estrack network, making New Norcia the agency’s first site with two such antennas.
• In final calibration before the ceremony, the antenna successfully captured its first signal from ESA’s Euclid spacecraft.
• Operational service is slated for 2026, with support planned for missions including Juice, Solar Orbiter, BepiColombo, Mars Express, Hera and future flights such as Plato, EnVision, Ariel, Ramses and Vigil.
• Key upgrades include cryogenically cooled receivers to about −263°C, a 20 kW RF amplifier, advanced timing systems and the network’s first use of AI for signal detection, noise separation and pointing optimization.
• ESA lists construction at €62.3 million with a €3 million Australian contribution; CSIRO will operate the site locally as Australia initiates talks on a formal cooperation agreement with ESA and cross-support remains available to NASA, JAXA, ISRO and commercial users.