The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) is playing a key support role in National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis II mission, which sent astronauts on a fly‑by around the Moon.
From its Hartebeesthoek facility in Gauteng Province, SANSA provides critical spacecraft tracking and telemetry support for the Orion.
SANSA operates the largest ground station in the Southern Hemisphere at Hartbeeshoek.
It was originally built by NASA in 1963 and handed over to SA in 1976.
Its work supports the Artemis program, including monitoring the Orion spacecraft in deep space.
Officials say missions like Artemis II would be far more difficult without SANSA’s support.
SA’s role in space exploration dates back to the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.
Today, through SANSA, the country continues to support Artemis, NASA’s programme to return humans on a fly by around Moon for the first time since 1972.
–SABC–
