https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Africa|Engineering|engineering news|Industrial|PROJECT|Service|Infrastructure|Operations
Africa|Engineering|engineering news|Industrial|PROJECT|Service|Infrastructure|Operations
africa|engineering|engineering-news|industrial|project|service|infrastructure|operations

New Sansa/Nasa project hopefully to start operations in late 2024

The rising sun silhouettes three of the dish antennas at SANSA Space Operations Hartebeesthoek complex

The rising sun silhouettes three of the dish antennas at SANSA Space Operations Hartebeesthoek complex

Photo by SANSA

29th May 2020

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

The project for a new deep space network ground station in South Africa, which is a collaborative venture between the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) and its American counterpart, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), is still in its study phase, Sansa Space Operations MD Raoul Hodges tells Engineering News. The project was formally approved by the South African Cabinet on May 27. The new ground station is to be located in the Matjiesfontein area in the Western Cape province.

“The current study phase should be concluded in the next eight months,” he reports. “Then we will know what the specifications will be and where exactly in the Matjiesfontein region the station will be. It’s a collaborative effort, and Sansa will supply some of the infrastructure to enable Nasa to erect its antennas. The exact division of responsibilities and costs is still being determined.”

The Matjiesfontein area was selected as the site for both its low radio frequency interference and its good weather conditions. Technically, Nasa has not yet finally decided to establish a new station there, but it is highly probable that they will do so. In terms of ground support for space operations, South Africa’s geographic location is very attractive, points out Hodges. Several leading space agencies and space companies have found it very useful to have South African ground station support.

Nasa could require anything from one to four dish antennas, each with a diameter of 34 m, at the Matjiesfontein site. The number of staff that will be required to run it is not yet certain. That will depend on how automated Nasa and Sansa can make the station. But the aim is to make the new station a 24/7 operation like Sansa Space Operation’s current ground support complex at Hartebeesthoek (in Gauteng province, west of Pretoria). The project will be implemented in stages, with initial operating capability by late 2024.

“We have a great space history since 1958, in terms of space operations ground support,” he highlights. “This project means that our collaboration with the international space sector is well established. We’ve proven that our quality, service and skills are up with the best in the world. For Nasa to trust us is a real feather in our cap!”

“This discussion started in late 2014,” notes Hodges. “It’s a team that negotiates with Nasa, and I am extremely proud of my team. I hope we can see this come to pass, to build on South Africa’s space heritage, for bigger things to come.”

Sansa Space Operation’s precursor agency, the Satellite Applications Centre (of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) was originally set up to provide ground support for Nasa missions. This included support to several of Nasa’s crewed Apollo missions to the Moon in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 

 

 

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

SMS group
SMS group

At SMS group, we have made it our mission to create a carbon-neutral and sustainable metals industry.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
GreaseMax
GreaseMax

GreaseMax is a chemically operated automatic lubricator.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Photo of Martin Creamer
On-The-Air (15/03/2024)
15th March 2024 By: Martin Creamer

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.076 0.125s - 163pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now