NASA officially restored its Guam Remote Station on September 10, 2026, following the destruction caused by Super Typhoon Mawar in May 2023. The final stage of the reconstruction, involving the central antenna, was completed on July 1, 2026.
The 2023 typhoon, which brought 185 mph winds, destroyed two 16.5-meter antennas and damaged an 11-meter antenna. This outage reopened the Zone of Exclusion, reducing satellite coverage to approximately 85% of a spacecraft's orbit.
During the recovery, NASA utilized emergency repairs and borrowed two mobile terminals from the U.S. Army to maintain partial service. In early 2025, Congress allocated disaster-relief funding to rebuild the station and harden it against future storms.
The Guam station is a vital component of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite constellation. It enables continuous communication with the International Space Station, preventing potential contact losses of up to 20 minutes during every 90-minute orbit.
