Technical visit
The Canary Islands offer some of the best astronomical conditions in Europe. Thanks to their geographic location near the Equator, high volcanic mountains, and consistently favourable atmospheric conditions, the Izaña plateau on Tenerife hosts multiple world‑class telescopes.
The ESA Optical Ground Station (OGS) features a 1‑meter telescope on an English mount, housed in a 12.5‑meter dome. Originally built for the Artemis satellite, it has since supported numerous ESA activities, including space‑debris surveys across various orbital regimes, Near‑Earth Object observations under the Space Situational Awareness programme, and nighttime scientific astronomy. Over the years it has also contributed to missions such as SMART‑1, EDRS, and Micius. The facility remains highly relevant and actively used.
Since 2006, the OGS has additionally operated as a receiver for quantum communication experiments - including Bell tests, quantum cryptography, and quantum teleportation - enabled by its ability to point slightly below the horizon toward La Palma, located 143 km away.
Also located at the Teide Observatory, only a few hundred metres from the OGS, ESA operates the IZN‑1 (Izaña‑One) station, named after the site itself. IZN‑1 is a multi‑purpose optical ground asset based on an 80 cm Ritchey‑Chrétien telescope, originally designed for satellite laser ranging at 532 nm and 1064 nm. Operational since 2021, the station contributes to the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) by routinely tracking active satellites and providing millimetre‑level ranging performance.
To extend its capabilities to non‑cooperative targets such as space debris, a dedicated subsystem - IZN‑2 - has been developed. Hosted in a separate dome, the IZN‑2 high‑power laser transmitter operates bi-statically with the main IZN‑1 telescope acting as the receiver.
Beyond laser ranging, IZN‑1 has been upgraded to a robotic optical ground station for LEO direct‑to‑Earth optical communications, aiming for a high degree of interoperability through compliance with CCSDS and SDA optical communication standards within the Optical Nucleus Network.
Technical Visits
As part of the conference, we plan to offer guided technical visits to the OGS on the day prior to the event. Participants will visit the station in small groups and may have the opportunity to explore additional observatories operated by our partners and industry.
Latest Details
While the programme is still being finalized, please indicate your interest in visiting the ESA OGS when registering for the conference.
Date: Monday, 1 June 2026
TBC: Duration ~1.5 hours
TBC: Group size ~15 people
TBC: Transportation to and from Izaña will not be provided; participants are encouraged to coordinate shared rental cars. The scenic drive takes approximately 1.5 hours each way.
Health & Safety at High Altitude
At ~2400 m above sea level, conditions differ significantly from the coast:
Expect colder, harsher weather and increased UV exposure - dress warmly and use sunscreen/hat protection.
Watch for symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, nausea, light‑headedness, shortness of breath, unusual fatigue).
Avoid strenuous activity and stay well‑hydrated before, during, and after the visit.
After scuba diving, observe a safe surface interval of ideally 24 hours before ascending to high altitude.
Custom Tours
If the general tour does not meet your needs, dedicated tours may be arranged where feasible. Please contact the organizing team as early as possible.
What to Expect
Visit to the ESA OGS: Guided introduction to the station’s role, experiments, history, and operations.
Izaña 1/2 Station Tour: Very small groups (2–3 people) can visit the IZN‑1/2 facilities, including dome access and an overview of ongoing work.
Telescope Demonstrations: Daytime tracking demonstrations, including dome rotation and simulated satellite passes. If possible, live tracking of LEO satellites (e.g., ISS, Tiangong) may be arranged in the evening.
Additional Observatory Visits: We are working to open other facilities on the plateau, with groups rotating among the available sites.
Available slots will be assigned on a first‑come, first‑served basis due to limited capacity.
Please note that attending the technical visit may make participation in other programme events on Monday 1 June challenging.
ESA Conference Bureau / ATPI Corporate Events
ESA-ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1
2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
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