Tidbinbilla's national space centre
Ever wondered what lies behind the clouds in the deep, dark region of the skies? Why not find out with a trip to Canberra’s Space Centre, Australia’s home of all things space related. See a 3.8 billion year old piece of the moon, discover what it’s like inside a space shuttle and find out the functions of deep space tracking technology as well as what Australian scientists have contributed to NASA.
NASA Australia
Situated in Tidbinbilla, 35 kilometres southwest of Canberra, the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex focuses on the role Australia plays in the exploration of space as well as past and present discoveries that space technicians, scientists, engineers and specialists have been researching. The most prized possession of this complex is the Deep Space Station 43, a 70 metre diameter dish that has communicated with several Mars probes as well as the likes of Voyager 1 and 2 and Galileo – the spacecraft, that is.
One of three in the world, Canberra’s the Deep Space Communication Complex provides the communication gateway between deep space crafts and their teams on Earth. With more than 50 years of Australian research and support, the Space Centre currently supports over 45 missions, increasing our understanding of our world and universe.
A combination of interactive and informative exhibits, the Canberra Space Centre is ideal for seeing a piece of the moon, discovering what astronaut food is all about, learning the future of space exploration and taking a hands on trip across the skies.
To discover more on Australia's past and present achievements, click here
