One of NASA’s Most Important Deep Space Observatories Hit by Spanish Wildfires
The affected area includes Robledo de Chavela, a municipality near the Deep Space Communications Complex run by NASA.Dramatic images captured by news photographers showed the radio telescopes surrounded by smoke and fire. A NASA spokesperson said in an email to WIRED that the agency successfully evacuated all personnel.They added that while the fire has now passed through the observatory complex, it remains unclear what impact the flames may have had on the sensitive equipment inside. “Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so,” the spokesperson said.
- ▪The affected area includes Robledo de Chavela, a municipality near the Deep Space Communications Complex run by NASA.Dramatic images captured by news photographers showed the radio telescopes surrounded by smoke and fire.
- ▪A NASA spokesperson said in an email to WIRED that the agency successfully evacuated all personnel.They added that while the fire has now passed through the observatory complex, it remains unclear what impact the flames may have had on the
- ▪“Any potential damage will be assessed when it is safe to do so,” the spokesperson said.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 3 hours. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: centre. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ Major NASA site in Spain hit by wildfire — Straits Times — World
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Brian KahnScienceJul 24, 2026 6:30 PMOne of NASA’s Most Important Deep Space Observatories Hit by Spanish WildfiresFlames burned through the Deep Space Communications Complex near Madrid, but NASA has been unable to assess the damage as a wildfire emergency grips the region.Photograph: Gabri Solera/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyClimate change has now become a problem for the whole solar system. On Friday, wildfires in Spain overran one of three observatories the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration uses to connect with spacecraft, including Voyager 1, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the recently completed Artemis mission around the Moon.Spain declared a wildfire emergency as multiple blazes burned out of control…
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