Cape Town - South Africa took a giant leap into the realm of space exploration as US space agency Nasa joined the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the SA National Space Agency (Sansa) to break ground at Africa’s first deep-space ground station in Matjiesfontein, Western Cape.
The Matjiesfontein Deep Space Ground Station will host one of three communications antennas strategically placed around the globe to ensure space tracking and communication between astronauts on Nasa’s Artemis spacecraft to the moon, and those who’ll subsequently come to work on and around the lunar surface.
Badri Younes, deputy associate administrator and manager for Nasa’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) programme, said that through Artemis, Nasa sought to establish a sustainable presence on the moon to prepare for missions to Mars and beyond – and land the first woman and first person of colour on the moon by 2025.
Nasa also signed a joint statement with the DSI confirming their planned collaboration and partnership for deep-space missions, going forward.
Raoul Hodges, the managing director of space operations at Sansa, said construction was scheduled to kick off early in 2023 and site readiness to support the first mission was projected for mid-2025.
“The deep-space station will be tracking probes for the purpose of deep-space research and exploration and for human space flights to the moon, Mars and beyond.
“A total work force during operational phase will be 64 – excluding security and cleaning staff. In total, we expect a work force of about 100,” Hodges said.
DSI director-general Phil Mjwara said Matjiesfontein was selected as it was well situated to support Nasa because of its geographic location.
“Apart from its low radio frequency interference and its good weather conditions, it is in the southern hemisphere, where Nasa needs to situate additional satellite tracking infrastructure,” Mjwara said.
Younes said they could not have asked for a better spot on Earth than in South Africa, with whom Nasa first partnered six decades ago to land the first humans on the lunar surface in the Apollo missions.
Premier Alan Winde said: “We are elated that Matjiesfontein has been chosen for this project. It has the potential to launch the WCG’s skills development drive beyond the limits of Earth.”
kristin.engel@inl.co.za