ESA proposes constellation of lunar communications and navigation satellites
The European Space Agency is proposing in this decade to build a constellation of communications and GPS-type satellites, dubbed Moonlight, to orbit the Moon.
ESA is asking two industrial consortia in Europe to define what an integrated sat-nav and telecoms system at the Moon would look like.
It’ll include a constellation of at least three, but probably more, positioning-and-relay satellites to give global coverage, and will likely include some surface beacons, too, to augment the accuracy of the navigation signals.
“The target we have at the moment is that the constellation would be able to allow for an accuracy of 100m and probably better. We think we are able to get to 30m in the first instance,” explained Paul Verhoef, the director of ESA’s navigation department.
The two consortiums are the UK’s Surrey Satellite and Italy’s Telespazio.
It also appears the ESA is proposing making this system available to all lunar exploration missions, whether they be part of the U.S.’s Artemis program or China’s lunar plans. If so, it is commercially smart, as they will have plenty of customers to buy their services.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The European Space Agency is proposing in this decade to build a constellation of communications and GPS-type satellites, dubbed Moonlight, to orbit the Moon.
ESA is asking two industrial consortia in Europe to define what an integrated sat-nav and telecoms system at the Moon would look like.
It’ll include a constellation of at least three, but probably more, positioning-and-relay satellites to give global coverage, and will likely include some surface beacons, too, to augment the accuracy of the navigation signals.
“The target we have at the moment is that the constellation would be able to allow for an accuracy of 100m and probably better. We think we are able to get to 30m in the first instance,” explained Paul Verhoef, the director of ESA’s navigation department.
The two consortiums are the UK’s Surrey Satellite and Italy’s Telespazio.
It also appears the ESA is proposing making this system available to all lunar exploration missions, whether they be part of the U.S.’s Artemis program or China’s lunar plans. If so, it is commercially smart, as they will have plenty of customers to buy their services.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
If I remember right, moon has a 2 mile horizon? Not only navigation would be difficult without roads and landmarks… over the horizon communication would need a relay to be possible.
The prospectors will still have the stars and the earth to estimate their location… yeah but they’re really going to like having cell service with virtual heads up display in their helmet with navigation and targeting information readily available while talking to the family on earth in real time video conference. (or just streaming a movie while waiting for the automated equipment to finish their GPS guided mineral survey)
Just as an afterthought, the deep space network could use an upgrade at the same time using a large antenna receiver in a 28 day lunar orbit always facing away from the earth to avoid radio interference.
Lunar orbits are tough
Looks like we are about to get the future we thought we’d get after Apollo 11, only about a half a century later.
Echoing Jeff Wright above, I thought that long-term lunar orbits are pretty tough to maintain because gravitationally the Moon with the Earth’s influence thrown in is the equivalent of driving down a very bumpy road in a very strong gale. This could make it tough for satellites to maintain stable orbits without substantial reaction control fuel for station keeping.
Still, a very good idea if it can be made to work and at least 40 years overdue.
That would be cool, useful and necessary. Such a relay system would allow astronauts to communicate with Earth when they are on the far side of the moon. However, yes, I’ve heard that lunar orbits don’t last very long. It might be better to have a series of repeater towers on the moon.
There’s an old NASA project looking for a ride to the Moon.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/nasa-eyes-moons-dark-side-for-astronomy-new-telescopes/950047
I hear Elon is heading there with an empty ship…
He could probably even deploy a couple of temporary short live communication satellites that he has laying around somewhere…
I wonder if he can figure out how? He does like a challenge… he’s kind of a show off.
I think it be very ironic if they set up this robotic radio scope on the far side before the Webb telescope was launched.
I think it be very ironic if they set up this robotic radio scope on the far side before the Webb telescope was launched.
Ahhh, yes. Elon Musk is going to design and develop a giant radio telescope and build it on the far side of the moon all by October.
Sheesh, do you guys realize how silly you sound?
Jeff Wright wrote: “Lunar orbits are tough”
I believe that Jeff is referring to the Moon’s mass concentrations (mascons), which make low orbits fairly unstable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_concentration_(astronomy)#Effect_of_lunar_mascons_on_satellite_orbits
The Earth has similar mascons, such as Mt. Everest (the Himalayas) and the 3-mile bulge of the equator, but these have less effect than lunar mascons. However, the perturbations caused by Earth’s mascons can be used, among other things, to create sun-synchronous orbits.