Muchea was established in 1960, and became operational in March 1961. It was Station No. 8 of the 14
Manned Space Flight Network sites around the world used throughout the project. The only other Australian site was Station No. 9, the
Island Lagoon Tracking Station at
Woomera, South Australia. These stations were managed and operated by the Weapons Research Establishment of the Australian Department of Supply on behalf of NASA. Muchea was equipped with a "VERy LOng Range Tracking" (VERLORT)
S band radar operating between 2700 and 2900 MHz. This was an upgraded version of the
SCR-584, with its range increased from to , and the diameter of the dish increased from to . It was also equipped with acquisition aid tracking systems, telemetry reception, and air-to-ground voice communications facilities. Because of its position, close to the
antipodes of
Cape Canaveral, it was also selected to have a command facility. Information about the range, bearing and elevation of the spacecraft was automatically relayed to the
Goddard Space Flight Center by
teleprinter. Muchea was closed in February 1964, after the end of the Mercury Project. It was replaced by the
Carnarvon Tracking Station for the
Gemini and
Apollo projects. Although the Muchea Tracking Station no longer exists, the Shire of
Chittering has erected a small display about its history. ==Missions==