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The last time we checked in on the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), it was putting together a team of volunteers willing to endure harsh conditions and hard physical labour in Antarctica on a research mission. 

That was cool (sorry), but their latest project is going to blow it out of the water.

South Africa is doing its bit to advance space travel by teaming up with NASA to host a Deep Space Ground Station.

Here’s the official statement from the South African Government:

Cabinet approved that the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) enter into a partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to host a Deep Space Ground Station. The station, which will be based in Matjiesfontein in the Western Cape, will support human spaceflight missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

The Ground Station will be integrated into an existing network of three sites in the US, Australia, and Spain. As the fourth site, it will provide enhanced coverage critical for mission support. SANSA will operate, maintain, and manage the station.

The station will benefit South Africa in, amongst others, the development of scarce skills and the growth of the science, engineering, technology and innovation sector. It will also provide opportunities to feed the knowledge economy, and increase the national research output in space science and technology.

According to BusinessTech, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Blade Nzimande said that government is looking at space technologies which could be used to improve remote-learning for vulnerable students in SA.

“The Department of Science and Innovation, in conjunction with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Sentech and South African National Space Agency, is currently looking at a long-term solution to supporting the digital transmission needs for the national education system through the launch of a locally-produced communications satellite,” he said.

While we might not be launching our own rockets soon, the new Deep Space Ground Station means that we could play a crucial part in the first trip to Mars.

Now, Elon Musk isn’t the only thing that ties us to NASA.

That in itself is something to celebrate.

[source:businesstech&gov.za]