Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Moonlight: Thales Alenia Space to develop the space segment of the navigation system orbiting around the Moon

12/03/2025

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Moonlight: ESA program to create a satellite constellation in lunar orbit for advanced communications and navigation services

Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space will design and develop the Navigation System and satellite navigation infrastructure

Telespazio is prime contractor for the Moonlight Program, having previously signed a EUR 123 million contract with ESA to implement the design phase of the infrastructure

Cannes, March 12th, 2025 - Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), to design and develop the space segment of the Navigation System and satellite navigation infrastructure for ESA's Moonlight Lunar Communications and Navigation Services (LCNS) program.

Moonlight is an ESA program led by Telespazio to create a satellite constellation orbiting the Moon and designed to provide advanced communication and navigation services.

The program will allow precise and autonomous moon landings as well as surface mobility, while facilitating high-speed, low-latency communication and data transfer between Earth and the Moon. This infrastructure is paramount to mankinds long-term return and presence on the Moon, also improving efficiency and significantly reducing operational and usage costs.

On October 15, 2024, Telespazio signed a contract with ESA to guide and develop the LCNS program. This project involves an industrial consortium of specialized companies, with Telespazio serving as the prime contractor and responsible for the overall system. Within the framework of the consortium, Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the design and development of the LCNS Navigation System and of the satellite navigation infrastructure.

4 lunar elliptical orbit navigation satellites - Moonlight Thales Alenia Space/Briot

Specifically, in collaboration with a network of Italian and international companies and universities, Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for the design, development and deployment of four lunar elliptical orbit navigation satellites. Additionally, the company will develop key elements of the Earth mission segment and oversee the complete testing and validation of the first satellite navigation system orbiting the Moon.

We are extremely proud to be key 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.

ABOUT THALES ALENIA SPACE

Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies' Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately 2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8, countries with 16 sites in Europe. www.thalesaleniaspace.com

ABOUT TELESPAZIO

Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), is one of the worlds leading operators in space services: from the design and development of space systems to the management of satellite launch and in-orbit control services; from Earth observation, integrated communications, satellite navigation, and positioning services to scientific programs. The company plays a key role in its reference markets, leveraging over 60 years of technological expertise, infrastructure, and participation in space programs such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus, COSMO-SkyMed, and Moonlight. Telespazio, together with Thales Alenia Space, forms the Space Alliance and generated a revenue of 700 million in 2023, with 3,300 employees in fifteen countries. www.telespazio.com

26 Mar 2025

The ImaSpiiR-X consortium receives support from France 2030 to improve the management of cancer and cardiovascular diseases through medical imaging

Read more
LINK: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press_release/moonlight...
See more stories from thales

Europe Stories

04/09/2025

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Dalet Win Prestigious 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...

21/04/2025

Fox Corporation Executives to Discuss Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Results Via Webcast

Fox Corporation Executives to Discuss Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Result...

17/04/2025

What NAB told us about the future of media tech

This year's NAB Show in Las Vegas marked a noticeable shift in the priorities of media and broadcast organisations. Gone are the days of chasing flashy, or ...

17/04/2025

Changing Sustainable Production in Wales and Beyond

class=attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail f-align-center alt= decoding=async data-lazy-srcset=https://www.antonbauer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Amy-Daniel-1...

17/04/2025

Si's 50th marathon and Guinness World record attempt

Big shout out for our Managing Director Simon Couchman who is running his 50th and final marathon ahead of his 50th birthday in fancy dress! Simon hopes to ach...

17/04/2025

Amateur drama takes centre stage as the 2025 RT All-Ireland Drama Festival launches in the Abbey Theatre

Festival programme promises a feast of drama, an action-packed fringe festival a...

17/04/2025

MGCS Project Company GmbH (MPC) established in Cologne

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thursday, 17 April 2025 - The next step has now been taken in the Franco-German armaments project Main Ground Combat System (MGC...

17/04/2025

RT Wins | Ireland's Wild Islands' Best Series at the 2025 International Wildlife Film Festival

RT 's Ireland's Wild Islands wins Best Series at the 2025 International ...

16/04/2025

A Voice Amidst Conflict

At a time when Sudanese women journalists face unprecedented challenges, She Speaks Sudan has provided a critical platform for training, mentorship, and collabo...

16/04/2025

True Control 2.0 Wins 2025 NAB Show Product of the Year Award

Calrec is today announcing that its True Control 2.0 is a Remote Production winner in the 2025 NAB Show Product of the Year Awards. This official awards program...

16/04/2025

Sky Exclusive series And Just Like That set to return to Sky and streaming service NOW on 30 May

Wednesday 16 April 2025 To view this content, please enable our use of cookies....

16/04/2025

Official trailer released ahead of the return of highly anticipated mystery-of-the-week Sky Exclusive drama, Poker Face on 8 May

Wednesday 16 April 2025 To view this content, please enable our use of cookies....

16/04/2025

Comscore Secures Multi-Season Agreement with The Summit League

Comscore Secures Multi-Season Agreement with The Summit LeagueRESTON, Va. April 16, 2025 Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a global leader in measuring and analyzing...

16/04/2025

2025-04-16

A fun mix of five games joins Apple Arcade on May 1, including WHAT THE CLASH?, a quirky, fast-paced multiplayer game that combines playful activities like tabl...

16/04/2025

Dragon Hearts - RT documentary follows cancer survivors united through dragon boat racing.

Dragon Hearts, an inspiring and emotional documentary following members of Irela...

16/04/2025

Tara Campbell appointed as Head of RT Radio 1

RT is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Campbell as Head of RT Radio 1 following a public competition. In this strategically important role Tara wi...

15/04/2025

We refuse to be erased: Zahra Joya on the women reporting under Taliban rule

As women in Afghanistan are stripped of their rights - banned from education, barred from public life and rendered invisible - a number of women journalists con...

15/04/2025

Indian Artists Are Reaching More Global Fans Than Ever Before (and the Data Proves It)

In March this year, Spotify unveiled its annual Loud & Clear report, a transpare...

15/04/2025

Spotify Expands Its Audiobooks Offering To Listeners In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein

As the world's most popular audio-streaming subscription service, Spotify is...

15/04/2025

How Scanline VFX recreated the Thames and more for Netflix's Back in Action

Jan Krupp, VFX supervisor at Scanline VFX, tells TVBEurope how the company created a range of environments for the Netflix film By Matthew Corrigan Published...

15/04/2025

Ateliere drops CodeMill acquisition plan, Swedish company threatens legal action

Ateliere said that due to the current, unforeseen turbulence in the US and in the global business and financial markets the company is no longer in a position t...

15/04/2025

Rohde & Schwarz unleashes the key to unlocking true spectrum dominance in multidomain operations with RAMON IQzoom

Rohde & Schwarz unleashes the key to unlocking true spectrum dominance in multid...

15/04/2025

Rohde & Schwarz expands testing equipment portfolio to support Telesat Lightspeed network optimization

Rohde & Schwarz expands testing equipment portfolio to support Telesat Lightspee...

15/04/2025

Matter interoperability: The key to progress in IoT and smart technology

Matter interoperability has become the foundation of uniting diverse ecosystems. The universal connectivity standard developed by the Connectivity Standards All...

14/04/2025

Reporting the Change

Rwanda's vulnerability to climate change is underscored by its ranking of 124th out of 182 countries in the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative's in...

14/04/2025

Rocket Scientist Aisha Bowe Shares Her Space-Bound Soundtrack in Honor of Historic Blue Origin Flight

On Monday, April 14, Blue Origin's NS-31 mission lifted off from Launch Site...

14/04/2025

Celebrating the Vibrant Traditions That Make Global Fandoms Unique With New Campaign

Whether it's having first access to tickets, being a part of once-in-a-lifet...

14/04/2025

Calrec Promotes Sid Stanley to Managing Director

As Calrec continues to lead a new era of technical innovation with its portfolio of complimentary broadcast audio solutions, the company has today announced the...

14/04/2025

Sid Stanley takes on MD role at Calrec Audio

Stanley has been promoted to the role following seven years as general manager with the company By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 14, 2025 Updated: Apri...

14/04/2025

Paul Hunt appointed as new MD of StreamAMG

StreamAMG delivers more than 15,000 live events each year, with over 52,000 hours of content watched in 200 countries By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 14...

14/04/2025

NAB Show 2025: a transforming industry

TVBEurope content director Jenny Priestley sums up her 2025 NAB Show experience, from the end of AI hype to the impact of tariffs, trying out virtual production...

14/04/2025

VEON Publishes 2024 Integrated Annual Report Detailing Commitment to Sustainable Growth and Highlighting Robust Financial Performance

14 Apr 2025 VEON Publishes 2024 Integrated Annual Report Detailing Commitment t...

14/04/2025

Masters Sunday becomes most-watched day in Sky Sports history

Monday 14 April 2025 On an unmissable day of world-class sporting drama, Sky Sports created its own history by breaking viewership records on Sunday 13 April, ...

14/04/2025

Rohde & Schwarz enables Bulgaria to stay ahead of the curve in spectrum monitoring

Rohde & Schwarz enables Bulgaria to stay ahead of the curve in spectrum monitori...

14/04/2025

2025-04-14

Apple Watch is the world's most popular watch, and the ultimate fitness and health companion. Every day, Apple Watch offers fitness motivation to millions o...

14/04/2025

The Money List Contestant Call Out

Baz Ashmawy Returns For A New Series of The Money List Baz And The Team Want You To Take Part, You Could Win Up To 30,000 Per Episode RT Television is looki...

14/04/2025

Thales to supply NATO with latest-generation situational awareness solution to ensure decision superiority

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Thales has been selected by NATO to deliver phas...

11/04/2025

Spotify Invests 1 Million To Help Authors and Publishers Produce More Audiobooks

Since entering the audiobooks space in 2022, Spotify has positively impacted the industry, paying out hundreds of millions of dollars to rights holders on an an...

11/04/2025

Uncover a Cult Conspiracy in New Scripted Thriller DIAL' From Spotify Argentina and Kuarzo

Latin America's love for scripted audio is about to get a thrilling new chap...

11/04/2025

Location Scouting Like a Pro

Home Applications Location Scouting Like a Pro class=attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail f-align-center alt=Garrett Sammons decoding=async data-lazy-srcse...

11/04/2025

The Art of Production Scheduling

Home Applications The Art of Production Scheduling class=attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail f-align-center alt=Garrett Sammons decoding=async......

11/04/2025

CoSTAR Screen Lab launches funding call for UK 5G projects

Two creative projects will receive awards of £35,000 aiming to boost innovation in 5G across the media and entertainment sector By Matthew Corrigan Published...

11/04/2025

BlueBolt bolsters tech team

The London VFX studio has strengthened its pipeline team with two promotions and a new appointment By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 11, 2025 Updated: A...

10/04/2025

NAB 2025: 5 Reasons to Join Calrec at NAB

Book a meeting or demonstration at NAB 2025! Please enter the following details. (Tick the relevant box for a meeting or demo): -- Meeting / Demo* Meeting...

10/04/2025

UK Culture Media and Sport Committee report: urgent action' needed for HETV and film industries

The report outlined a package of proposed measures to ensure domestic production...

10/04/2025

55,000 attend 2025 NAB Show

Attendees travelled from 160 countries around he world to the media and entertainment industrys Super Bowl event By Matthew Corrigan Published: April 10, 202...

10/04/2025

Meet the president

Kitty Higinbotham, president of Wall Street Communications, tells TVBEurope why communication skills are essential in an ever-changing industry By Matthew Corr...

10/04/2025

Live from London, its Saturday Night!

Lorne Michaels to Executive Produce Saturday Night Live UK, coming to the UK for the first time in deal with SkyThursday 10 April 2025 Sky is bringing NBC'...