Madrid Flames Force Evacuation of Key NASA Space Communications Station

An important NASA complex on the outskirts of Madrid has been engulfed by the wave of wildfires that has swept areas around the Spanish capital.

The U.S. space agency announced via a representative that the flames swept through the grounds of the Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex (MDSCC), a vital node for maintaining contact with missions traveling into deep space.

Staff left the facilities in time, the spokesperson said, adding that an inspection to assess possible damage will begin as soon as the situation is sufficiently safe.

Equipped with giant antennas, this station in Spain is one of the three pillars that make up the Deep Space Network (DSN). The other two are located in California, United States, and in Canberra, Australia.

According to NASA explanations, this geographic distribution ensures that, as our planet rotates, there is always at least one set of antennas in direct line of sight with space probes, enabling uninterrupted communication with missions in deep space.