Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with Telespazio to design and develop the navigation system for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Moonlight Lunar Communications and Navigation Services (LCNS) program.
Moonlight aims to establish a satellite constellation orbiting the Moon to provide precise navigation and high-speed communication services for lunar missions. The program will support autonomous landings, surface mobility, and data transfer between Earth and the Moon while reducing operational costs.
On October 15, 2024, Telespazio signed a contract with ESA to oversee and develop the LCNS program, leading an industrial consortium. Thales Alenia Space is responsible for designing and deploying four lunar elliptical orbit navigation satellites, developing key Earth mission segment components, and conducting system testing and validation.
Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President for Observation, Exploration, and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space, stated, “We are extremely proud to be a key pillar in the Moonlight program, providing the navigation system and infrastructure that will orbit around the Moon. 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.”
Telespazio CEO Gabriele Pieralli added, “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.”
The Moonlight program strengthens Europe’s role in space exploration and supports future lunar missions with advanced navigation and communication technologies.
