Page 34 - EngineerIT December 2022
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TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
NASA and South Africa renew knowledge of key challenges to astronaut
health and safety, such as space radiation,
lunar exploration partnership altered gravity fields, isolation and
confinement, closed environments, and
extreme and prolonged distance from
Earth.”
ASA and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) renewed MTJ will join future LEGS facilities
their partnership in lunar exploration with the ground-breaking of a new at NASA’s White Sands Complex in
Ncommunications facility which will help the Artemis missions return humans to the Las Cruces, New Mexico and a still-to-
Moon. be-determined location in Australia.
Badri Younes, Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Communications and With a LEGS station in North America,
Navigation (SCaN) programme, joined with SANSA officials on Tuesday 8 November 2022 in South Africa and Australia, the Moon
Matjiesfontein, or MTJ, for a ground-breaking at the future site of a new Lunar Exploration will always be in Earth’s view to ensure
Ground Sites (LEGS) antenna. essential, enhanced direct-to-Earth
The ceremony was preceded by the signing of a letter of intent between NASA and the communications capabilities up to two
South African Department of Science and Innovation, to formalise the space exploration million kilometres away through NASA’s
partnership. Near Space Network (NSN).
Located approximately 240 kilometres northeast of Cape Town, MTJ will be one of “We are pleased that this project has
three 18- to 24-metre communications LEGS antennas, strategically placed around the reached a significant milestone with the
globe to ensure near-continuous connectivity between astronauts on NASA’s Artemis support of the Department of Science
spacecraft and those who’ll subsequently come to work on and around the lunar surface. and Innovation as well as the partnership
“Location, weather and existing infrastructure make Matjiesfontein the ideal place to of NASA,” said Tiaan Strydom SANSA
build this antenna,” said Younes. ”We really couldn’t have asked for a better spot on Earth acting Commercial Services Executive.
than here in South Africa, with whom we first partnered six decades ago to land the first “Matjiesfontein ground station
humans on the lunar surface.” extends SANSA space capabilities and
South Africa was home to a ground tracking station at Hartebeesthoek (HBK) that specialisation, taking the agency a notch
played a critical role in NASA’s Apollo missions in the 1960s. Artemis, named for Apollo’s higher as a global player in space science
sister, will land the first woman and person of colour on the Moon, paving the way for a and technology.”
long-term lunar presence, and serving as a stepping stone to send astronauts to Mars. “The Moon brought NASA and South
“We see this partnership as mutually beneficial,” said Dr. Phil Mjwara, DSI Director Africa together 60 years ago. I’m so
General. “Matjiesfontein ground station will alleviate increased demand for NASA’s pleased it’s done so again today”, Badri
Deep Space Network (DSN), allowing Artemis to meet its goals and expand our scientific Younes said.
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