Moonlight Programme:
The European Space Agency (ESA) at the International Astronautical Congress, launched its Moonlight Lunar Communications and Navigation Services (LCNS) programme.
- The programme will have a constellation of about five lunar satellites (one for high data rate communications and four for navigation) that will allow accurate autonomous landings, high-speed communication, and surface mobility.
- It is Europe’s first-ever dedicated satellite constellation for telecommunication and navigation services for the Moon.
- These satellites will reportedly enable data transfer over 2,50,000 miles or 4,00,000 kilometres between the Earth and the Moon.
- The prime focus of the Moonlight programme will be to offer coverage at the Moon’s South Pole.
- The South Pole of the moon is a key area for many missions owing to lighting conditions and the potential presence of water ice within craters that perpetually remain in the shadows.
- As part of the programme, the first step will be the launch of Lunar Pathfinder, a communications relay satellite built by Surrey Satellite Technology LTD, in 2026.
- The initial services of the programme will reportedly begin by the end of 2028, and the system is said to be fully operational by 2030.
- The ESA is working with NASA and the Japanese space Agency JAXA on LunaNet, which is essentially a framework to standardise communication and navigation for the Moon.
