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Matjiesfontein will be home to a new NASA lunar communication facility.

NASA and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) renewed their partnership in lunar exploration with the a new communications facility that will help the Artemis missions return humans to the Moon.

“We are excited but not surprised that Matjiesfontein was chosen as one of only three locations worldwide to position a LEGS facility. The Karoo offers the perfect setting due to its clear skies and lack of rainfall, making it ideal to monitor outer space”, says Werner Smit, Matjiesfontien General Manager.

Matjiesfontien will join future LEGS facilities at NASA’s White Sands Complex in Las Cruces, New Mexico and a still-to-be-determined location in Australia. With a LEGS station in North America, South Africa, and Australia, the Moon will always be in Earth’s view to ensure essential, enhanced direct-to-Earth communications capabilities up to two million kilometers away through NASA’s Near Space Network (NSN).

“We are pleased that this project has reached a significant milestone with the support of the Department of Science and Innovation as well as the partnership of NASA,” said Tiaan Strydom, SANSA acting Commercial Services Executive.

“Matjiesfontien ground station extends SANSA space capabilities and specialization, taking the agency a notch higher as a global player in space science and technology.”

Added SCaN’s Younes, “The Moon brought NASA and South Africa together 60 years ago. I’m so pleased it’s done so again today.”