The new Deep Space Ground Station – based in South Africa – will support human spaceflight missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Western Cape, South Africa (14 November 2022) – A little town in the Karoo desert is about to get a massive makeover as NASA has broken ground and is ready to build the new Deep Space Ground Station.
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) entered into a partnership with NASA in 2020 to host the communication station, which is being built in Matjiesfontein, a town with a population of 422. There are only three of these sites being commissioned around the world. Their primary purpose is to ensure unbroken transmission with the Artemis space capsule on its lunar mission in 2025.
“This is going to be one of three stations supporting the communication with all of our astronauts in and around the moon and providing viable services to our entire moon-to-Mars programme,” said Badri Younes, the deputy associate administrator and manager at Nasa’s Space Communication and Navigation unit, at a ground-breaking ceremony at the South African site.
The Deep Space Ground Station will also be part of a remarkable achievement.
The reality is women represent about 10% of all people who have gone to space. And only 12 humans, all men, have ever walked on the Moon. This is about to change. And the Matjiesfontein station will be part of that history-making moment.
“The first person to land on the moon on Artemis is going to be a woman of colour,” Badri Younes added.
The station will also be used for research and development in the space industry while working towards the upcoming planned mission to Mars.
“Continuous research and development are vital in any industry for it to thrive and at the rate and pace the space industry is developing, it’s appropriate for SANSA to partner with NASA,” Dr Valanathan Munsami, the Chief Executive Officer of the SANSA explains.
Meanwhile, Gregory Mann, an International Program Specialist at NASA, is excited about the partnership, “to do anything important, it will take all of us, and we welcome South Africa’s participation and contribution. Space is for everyone, and we need to work together to solve future issues.”
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