Wildfires Force NASA to Evacuate Major Site in Spain

SadaNews - The massive wildfires that have erupted in Europe have forced NASA to evacuate one of its three global deep space communications facilities located in Spain, affecting the U.S. agency's ability to communicate with space probes.

The Madrid deep space communications complex is situated in Robledo, about 65 kilometers west of central Madrid, according to a NASA spokesperson in a statement to AFP. The U.S. space agency stated that "the fire passed through the Madrid deep space communications complex, and any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so," adding that all staff have been evacuated.

The Madrid complex is part of the deep space network, which is one of three sites that allow NASA to communicate with its spacecraft exploring remote parts of the galaxy. The other two sites are located in Canberra, Australia, and Goldstone in California, USA, and "the agency has transferred mission operations support to them."

The statement continued, "The safety and well-being of our crews are our top priorities, and our thoughts are with the families and neighbors who are also suffering the aftermath of the wildfires in the surrounding communities."