SA’s Hartebeesthoek plays key role in NASA Artemis II lunar flyby & prepares for new space race

South Africa’s Hartebeesthoek ground station has once again proven its strategic value in deep space exploration, delivering critical tracking support for NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. SANSA Space Operations Executive Director Raoul Hodges told BizNews in an interview, how the station’s veteran 12-metre antenna provided essential one-way data to help pinpoint the Orion spacecraft, the excitement in the control room during passes behind the Moon’s far side, and why South Africa’s Southern Hemisphere location remains vital for global lunar missions. Looking ahead, Hodges outlines plans for the new Matjiesfontein ground station and efforts to train the next generation of South African space professionals as the country positions itself for Artemis III, IV and the intensifying international space race. – Linda van Tilburg