Villafranca Station Explained

Villafranca Station (also known as VILSPA^[1]) was an ESTRACK satellite ground station in Spain, 30km (20miles) north from the city of Madrid in a Villanueva de la Cañada, within the area of European Space Astronomy Centre.^[2]

Station currently operates 15m S-band antenna marked VIL-1 capable of automatic tracking, ranging, frequency and timing measurements, monitoring, control and two-way communications. Additional facilities provide tracking, telemetry, telecommand and radiometric measurements.

In 2014 VIL-1 was upgraded to use SARAS (Spanish acronym for Fast Acquisition of Satellites and Launchers) system allowing easier estimation of the beam direction increasing tracking precision and accuracy.^[3]

In 2012 first antenna of the Villafranca Station, built in 1974 and designated VIL-1, was passed to the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial and dedicated to the Cooperation through Education in Science and Astronomy Research (CESAR) project and currently is used as a radio telescope for educational purposes.^[4]

In 2017 VIL-1 has been transferred to European industry ^[5]

External links

• https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/Estrack/Villafranca_station
• ESA gallery of the Villafranca station
• SARAS video featuring images from upgraded Villafranca station, 2014

Notes and References

1. Web site: Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station (VILSPA). David Darling. The Worlds of David Darling. 15 August 2014.
2. Web site: Villafranca station. ESA. 15 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140811030937/http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/Villafranca_station. 11 August 2014. dead. dmy-all.
3. Web site: Catching signals from a speeding satellite. ESA. 7 March 2014. 15 August 2014.
4. Web site: Five telescopes for educational purposes. ESA. 17 July 2012. 15 August 2014.
5. Web site: Villafranca Station. ESA. 2017. 24 August 2018.