Spearheaded by ESA and led by Telespazio, the Moonlight program aims to establish a network of satellites orbiting the Moon to deliver state-of-the-art communication and navigation capabilities. This infrastructure will enable autonomous lunar landings, support surface mobility operations, and allow fast, reliable data exchange between the Moon and Earth. The system is critical for sustaining a long-term human presence on the Moon, while also improving mission efficiency and reducing costs.
On October 15, 2024, Telespazio formalized its leadership role by signing a contract with ESA to oversee and develop the LCNS initiative. The program is being executed by a consortium of expert organizations, with Telespazio coordinating the overall system as the prime contractor. Within this framework, Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for the LCNS Navigation System and satellite navigation components.
Working alongside a consortium of Italian and international partners, including companies and universities, Thales Alenia Space will manage the design, construction, and deployment of four navigation satellites in lunar elliptical orbit. The firm will also develop essential parts of the Earth-based mission segment and oversee end-to-end testing and validation of the Moon's first satellite navigation system.
"We are extremely proud to be key in pillar in Moonlight program, providing the navigation system and infrastructure that will orbit around the Moon" said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space.
"The partnership with Telespazio, in line with the Space Alliance's objectives, will ensure the development of a complete turnkey solution for the European Space Agency. Thales Alenia Space is the ideal partner for such an ambitious program leveraging both the expertise developed in Satellite Navigation systems and infrastructures as illustrated through major projects such as Galileo, and leveraging the experience acquired in the field of Space Exploration and orbital infrastructures."
"This contract represents another step forward in the solid collaboration between Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space within the Space Alliance, confirming the strategic value of this partnership in the field of space infrastructure," said Gabriele Pieralli, CEO of Telespazio.
"Together, we are providing ESA with a complete and innovative solution for lunar navigation, combining Telespazio's expertise in managing and integrating large-scale space programs with the engineering excellence of Thales Alenia Space. The Moonlight program, confirming Italy's leadership in space exploration, is a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe's role in space exploration and enable future lunar missions with advanced and reliable technologies."
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