South Africa’s space agency plays key role in US moon mission
The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has used its facilities to provide key support to the Intuitive Machines-2 (IM-2) lunar mission by providing essential tracking, telemetry, and command support from its Hartebeesthoek ground station.
In a statement, SANSA confirmed that it began tracking the spacecraft soon after its launch when it entered the agency’s coverage area. SANSA will continue to provide support for the mission for several days after the Athena lander touches down on the lunar surface.
“Lunar missions like IM-2 are a unique opportunity for SANSA to showcase its capabilities and contribute meaningfully to the global space community. Our preparations for this mission are designed to ensure excellence and seamless support services for the contracted duration of the mission,” said Tiaan Strydom, SANSA’s acting executive director for space operations.
Recognising the complexities and costs of lunar missions, Strydom emphasised the importance of precision and diligence in every phase of the operation, adding, “Lunar missions are complex and costly; therefore, every phase of the mission requires precision and diligence. We are honoured that intuitive machines have placed trust in our capabilities to support IM-2, continuing our support from IM-1.”
The IM-2 mission, launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, has a primary objective to investigate the presence of water ice near the Moon’s south pole, a critical resource for future human missions, according to Intuitive Machines, the American space exploration company leading the mission.
