ESA to put communication satellites into orbit around the moon

The European Space Agency (ESA) aims to facilitate lunar exploration with its Moonlight programme to put satellites into orbit around the moon for communication and navigation services.

"This infrastructure is essential for humanity's return to, and long-term presence on, the moon, while enhancing efficiency and significantly reducing operational and user costs," ESA said from Paris on Tuesday.

It added that the programme would enable precise, autonomous landings and surface mobility, while also facilitating high-speed communication and data transfer between Earth and moon.

Moonlight will consist of five satellites – four for navigation and one for communications – connected to Earth via three dedicated ground stations and creating a data network spanning up to 400,000 kilometres.

The satellites will be strategically positioned to prioritize coverage of the lunar south pole, an area of particular interest for future missions, due to its "peaks of eternal light" suitable for solar power, and "craters of eternal darkness" containing polar ice which can be a source of water, oxygen and rocket fuel.

Moonlight services will be deployed gradually, starting in 2028 and reaching full operation by 2030.

ESA said that with over 400 lunar missions planned by space agencies and private companies in the next two decades, Moonlight was a significant step towards sustainable lunar exploration and the development of a lunar economy.