English: As part of the plan to develop three Deep Space Stations equidistant around the world, the United States collaborated with Australia to construct the 26 meter (85 foot) antenna in Woomera (Island Lagoon). Woomera was chosen as the best location for Deep Space Station 41 (DSS-41) because it was about 120 degrees west of Goldstone, California where another Deep Space Station was located. Australia had collaborated with the British government since 1957 to research missiles, rockets, and satellites, proving themselves an ideal partner for NASA. DSS-41 supported Ranger and early Mariner missions, as well as communicating with Goldstone by bouncing its signal off of the moon before ceasing operations in 1972.