ESA Moonlight

CONNECTIVITY AND NAVIGATION ON THE MOON

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Moonlight programme aims to lead Europe in enabling connectivity from the lunar surface and to the Earth, serving the needs of future missions by creating a constellation of satellites for satellite communications around the Moon. The Moonlight programme works with European and Canadian industry to create a shared service in telecommunications and navigation, which is predicted to contribute to the activation of a €100 billion lunar economy.

Going back to the Moon - To Stay

Going to the Moon was the first step. Staying there is the next ambition. With ESA leading or an international partner of many of the 400 missions scheduled to launch for the Moon in the next decade, Moonlight aims to be Europe’s first off-planet telecommunications and navigation service provider. This will allow for the sharing of satellite communication services to reduce the complexity and mass of future missions to the Moon, contributing to ESA’s aim to be sustainable in its space exploration ventures, providing streamlined operational and cost efficiency for lunar missions.

The lunar market will continue to evolve as missions increase in quantity and scope, with several systems expected to be operating around the Moon. Europe must not lose first-mover advantage, ensuring Moonlight offers the best possible services to users through reliable and continuous service, whilst maintaining a sustainable use of resources and spectrum.

Moonlight: Connectivity and Navigation

The Moonlight programme is a joint initiative between ESA’s Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications, the Directorate of Navigation and the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration. Working across Directorates enables ESA to develop the programme into a powerful asset for international cooperation among our trusted partners, such as the US and Japan.

 We are working closely with NASA on LunaNET, a framework for lunar communication and navigation services, ensuring compatibility for our global customer base for their own missions or complementary advanced technologies and products. This framework will accelerate the development of multi-national and system-interoperability, allowing programmes like Moonlight to benefit, not only Europe, but enhance our international partnerships with European leadership.

How can I work with ESA on the Moonlight programme?

To further strengthen Europe’s position in lunar exploration, Moonlight collaborates with industry and academia to develop services and solutions geared towards humanity’s intention to live on the Moon. Through the programme, partners – whether multinational or SME, new or experienced – are supported through the research and development phase, with funding opportunities available depending on the stage of a project’s development, commercial or technological risk.

Read more on our How to Apply/Work with Us page for details on the level of funding support available to your project. Partnership opportunities are available to participating ESA Member States and Cooperating States.

How to work with ESA Moonlight

Moonlight workplans

The 2024 workplan for the Moonlight programme is available now. Interested parties should be registered with esa-star to view it and follow the guidelines to become a registered entity.

Beyond the scope of the Moonlight partnership project of the development and deployment of the initial lunar communications infrastructure, the programme will be preparing medium- and long-term technologies, supporting industry looking to develop products for the lunar market. The workplan will be made available following approval of ESA Member State delegates.