Solar Orbiter Calls Home from Deep Space… Via Cornwall!

ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission has just checked in from deep space, connecting to Earth through a rather unexpected route; Cornwall.

During recent tests, the Solar Orbiter relayed data to mission controllers at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Germany using Goonhilly Earth Station’s deep space antenna in Cornwall.

This successful link highlights a new era where commercial ground stations are stepping up to support deep space missions.

Boosting Bandwidth for ESA’s Growing Fleet

As ESA’s roster of spacecraft grows, demand on its communication network has skyrocketed. The agency’s deep space antennas, traditionally reserved for far-reaching missions like BepiColombo and JUICE, can become stretched thin as more data-intensive missions go online.

Enter Goonhilly Earth Station, now capable of supplementing ESA’s capacity and freeing up its core antennas to focus on the most distant missions.

“As the number of missions beyond Earth’s orbit increases, we’re pleased to be expanding worldwide communications capacity with our commercial services,” said Matthew Cosby, CTO of Goonhilly Earth Station.

“It’s great to have feedback from customers like ESA that, by supporting missions like Solar Orbiter, we’re truly helping to boost the amount of precious scientific data being sent back from around our Solar System.”

Why Goonhilly? Cornwall’s Station Makes Space History Again

Goonhilly, famed for broadcasting the Apollo Moon landings, is back in the spotlight. The station’s 32-metre antenna has been upgraded to link with deep space missions, demonstrating how commercial stations can extend the reach of national space agencies.

Beyond the Solar Orbiter, Goonhilly is already supporting global missions, including NASA’s Artemis programme, India’s Chandrayaan-3, and lunar initiatives by Japanese company ispace.

Daniel Lakey, Solar Orbiter flight controller, is optimistic about this collaboration: “We are pleased to see Goonhilly being used in this way. It will allow us to manage communication more efficiently, particularly during busy periods, and opens up new possibilities for future missions.”

A New Era for Deep Space Communication

The future of space exploration demands an expanded ground network, and Goonhilly’s involvement in the Solar Orbiter mission shows the potential of commercial stations in handling increased data flow.

With an additional ESA antenna under construction in Australia and new upgrades for Goonhilly’s deep space capabilities, ESA is preparing to meet the demands of space exploration head-on.