Wildfires Force Evacuation of NASA’s Deep Space Network Complex in Spain
5 verified4 unconfirmed1 contested
Wildfires burning near Madrid forced the evacuation of NASA's Deep Space Communications Complex in Spain on Friday. The facility, located in the municipality of Robledo de Chavela, is a key part of the agency's Deep Space Network, which communicates with spacecraft ranging from the Moon to the edge of the solar system. A NASA spokesperson confirmed that all personnel were evacuated safely and that operations have been “seamlessly transitioned” to the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California. The spokesperson added that any potential damage to the equipment will be assessed when it is safe to do so, with a site assessment possibly as soon as Saturday. The network, which also includes a facility in Canberra, Australia, supports more than 40 missions including the James Webb Space Telescope, the Artemis program, and Voyager 1. The wildfires are part of a broader crisis across Spain and France, where record summer temperatures have fueled multiple blazes.
What’s verified
Wildfires forced the evacuation of NASA's Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex in Spain on July 25, 2026.
Operations were transferred to the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, ensuring uninterrupted spacecraft communications.
NASA will assess potential damage to the facility when it is safe to do so.
The Deep Space Network consists of three sites: in Spain, California, and Australia.
The network supports over 40 missions, including Voyager 1, the James Webb Space Telescope, and Artemis.
Where accounts differ
One source reports that the fire passed through the observatory complex, while the other does not specify whether the flames reached the facility itself, only stating that the fire bore down on the area and forced evacuation.
Not yet confirmed
The exact number of people evacuated due to the wildfires; one source mentions evacuation orders for 60,000 people in Spain and 200,000 across Spain and France, while the other does not provide figures.
Specific details about the wildfires in France, including quotes from French officials and weather forecasts, come from a single report.
The precise distance of the complex from Madrid and the dimensions of its antennas are mentioned by only one source.
A description of the Deep Space Network as the "largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world" appears in only one source.
Key figures
NASA spokesperson (unnamed)
Sources: Wired, Ars Technica
