Matjiesfontein reaches for the moon
The small Victorian Karoo town is moving into the space age
The countdown has started for the launch of the historic Karoo village of Matjiesfontein into a new era of space exploration, including Nasa’s next trip to put a human on the moon.
Construction of a lunar exploration ground site (LEGS) communications facility to support space missions is due to start within the next three months, according to South African National Space Agency (Sansa) business development manager Tiaan Strydom.
The establishment of the LEGS antenna is a joint initiative of Matjiesfontein, Nasa, Sansa and the department of science & innovation (DSI).
It will play a crucial role in supporting communications during Nasa’s Artemis programme to land the first woman and person of colour on the moon. Nasa says the programme “will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.”
South Africa and Nasa collaborated on what is now the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory, originally built in 1961 by Nasa as a tracking station in support of its Apollo missions. (Artemis is named for Apollo’s sister.)
A feasibility study and an environmental impact assessment have been concluded at Matjiesfontein. Technical site reports on water, soil conditions and site contours are nearing completion, says Strydom.
Next to the N1 and about 240km from Cape Town, the Matjiesfontein site is the first of three strategically chosen in Africa, Australia and South America as part of a deep space network to provide continuous coverage during Nasa and nonNasa missions.
It was chosen for its proximity to key communication and transport infrastructure, its climate, clear skies and low radio interference. It is scheduled to be ready to support Nasa’s Artemis flights from early 2025.
Strydom says the project will stimulate research and develop scarce skills in space and ancillary sciences in South Africa. Each member of the initiative brings a unique contribution to the project, including financially. Nasa will provide the antenna. Sansa will establish, operate and maintain the station on Matjiesfontein trust land, with DSI funding provided as part of the government’s investment in space infrastructure and research.
In planning the station, “we thought big — beyond the Nasa antenna. We foresee other antennas being erected on the site in future,” says Strydom. Space agencies in Europe and the Far East have already expressed interest in collaboration, and other partners are expected to join the initiative as it grows.
Strydom believes the project will boost human capital development in science, mathematics and innovation. “By showcasing what we are doing with Nasa, we want to get youngsters enthusiastic about science and technology.”
According to DSI directorgeneral Phil Mjwara, the Matjiesfontein ground station will contribute “scientific knowledge of key challenges to astronaut health and safety, such as space radiation, altered gravity fields, isolation and confinement, closed environments and extreme and prolonged distance from Earth”.
The station will benefit not only South African research development, but also tourism and job creation in the area.
Matjiesfontein trustee Tom Rawdon says: “We see great opportunities for the whole village of Matjiesfontein, ranging from education and career opportunities for the community to developing a long-term tourism drawcard as astrotourism through the Karoo takes off.
“The [new astro] route will include the Nasa site at Matjiesfontein [and] the Southern African Large Telescope at Sutherland, extending into the Northern Cape where Carnarvon forms the core of the Square Kilometre Array.
“We are lucky that the Karoo delivers the almost perfect climate for space research.”
“We live in tough times,” says Werner Smit, general manager of Matjiesfontein village, who has been involved in planning the station with Nasa and Sansa since 2017.
As the biggest employer in the area, the village expects the project to bring additional employment and will work towards achieving it.
“It’s going to be an interactive, visitor-friendly project,” Smit says. “Visitors will be able to step back into Victorian times while experiencing the space age.”
The village will provide temporary accommodation for people involved in the construction phase, and some buildings may be converted to permanent accommodation for future full-time employees involved in running the station.
The Lord Milner Hotel will run “as normal”, revitalised by new astrotourists. “As things develop, there will be new opportunities that we haven’t thought of yet,” says Smit.