Consul of Italy in Western Australia, Sergio Federico Nicolaci, represented Italy at the official inauguration of the new ESA Deep Space Antenna (NNO-3) in New Norcia, Western Australia. The ceremony marked a major milestone in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) global deep space network, further deepening the partnership between Europe and Australia in space exploration.
The event was attended by Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA, Simon Plum, Head of ESA Mission Operations, Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, and Giorgio Saccoccia, former President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and now Special Adviser to the ESA Director General. Also present was Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Australia’s first astronaut to qualify under the national flag, symbolising the country’s growing ambitions in the space sector.
The newly inaugurated 35-metre antenna will play a critical role in supporting Europe’s interplanetary missions, including communication with spacecraft travelling millions of kilometres from Earth. Located at New Norcia — a quiet monastic town north of Perth — the antenna joins ESA’s existing global deep space tracking stations, providing continuous coverage for missions across the Solar System.
Italy, a founding member and third largest financial contributor to ESA, continues to assert its leadership in the field of space science and technology. With an €800 million investment in 2025, Italy contributes through its national space agency (ASI) and industrial partners including Thales Alenia Space, Avio, and Telespazio — companies renowned for their innovation in satellite technology, rocket propulsion, and mission operations. The NNO-3 facility reinforces Western Australia’s position as a global hub for space communication and science, while also underscoring the strategic and scientific collaboration between Italy, ESA, and Australia.
