The UK Space Agency has announced over £50 million for UK
companies to develop communication and navigation services for
missions to the Moon.
The new funding is part of the European Space Agency’s Moonlight
programme, which aims to launch a constellation of satellites
into orbit around the Moon, from 2028.
This will allow future astronauts, rovers, science experiments
and other equipment to communicate, share large amounts of data
including high-definition video, and navigate safely across the
lunar surface.
The UK is one of the two leading international investors in the
programme, alongside Italy, placing the UK space sector at the
heart of this new frontier.
Independent research suggests more than 250 missions to the Moon
are due to launch over the next decade alone, generating almost
£90 billion in global economic returns and thousands of new jobs.
The UK space and satellite sector currently employs 47,000 people
across the country and is set to grow further, with increased
government support.
Minister of State in the UK Department of Science, Technology and
Innovation said:
Space and satellite science and technology are at the
forefront of our Science Superpower mission, which is why we have
set out a 10-year Industrial Strategy for Space to attract the
billions of commercial investment now coming into this sector,
already worth £16.5 billion to the UK economy.
This new funding will help UK companies provide satellite
services for the fast-emerging lunar communications economy for
years to come, deepening our international collaborations through
ESA, kick-starting the lunar economy and inspiring a new
generation of scientists and explorers.
NASA plans to send astronauts to the Moon in the coming years
and, working with ESA and other partners, intends to put a new
space station called the Gateway with living quarters for
astronauts in lunar orbit. The UK space industry is making
important contributions to the Gateway, including the refuelling
module.
Reliable navigation and communication capabilities are essential
for these missions, and others like it, to succeed, supporting a
future sustainable human presence on the Moon. Creating a shared
telecommunications and navigation service can reduce some of the
complexity and reduce overall costs.
Companies involved in Moonlight will be able to create a
telecommunication and navigation service for ESA, while being
free to sell lunar services and solutions to other agencies and
commercial ventures.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said:
This is an incredibly exciting time for space exploration, with
the successful Artemis I mission paving the way for humanity’s
return to the Moon in the coming years.
These endeavours are more international and more commercial than
ever before – and by playing a leading role in the ESA Moonlight
programme, we are opening up significant opportunities for UK
companies to build on their extensive expertise in satellite
technology and benefit from the new lunar economy.”
The UK already leads the Lunar Pathfinder project to provide
initial communications services to the Moon, which will also help
to prepare for the next stage of Moonlight. The Lunar Pathfinder
spacecraft, designed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL),
will include a navigation payload demonstrator to allow
positioning and navigation on the lunar surface using satellites
for the first time, similar to how we use satellite navigation on
Earth. It is due to launch from 2025.
Science missions using Moonlight will be able to live stream
high-quality video, increasing the volume of data and the speed
of transfer, vastly improving the potential science outcomes.
Lunar rovers equipped with Moonlight receivers will be able to
navigate autonomously with high accuracy on the lunar surface,
enhancing mission opportunities and potential applications, and
lowering their associated risk and cost.
UKspace Chair, John Hanley, said:
By investing in UK companies to develop communication and
navigation services for the Moonlight Programme, the Government
is not only supporting innovation and technological advancement,
but delivering a critical component of the forthcoming vibrant
and thriving lunar economy.
We have seen previous lunar endeavours stimulate a range of
unexpected technologies and processes used to enhance life on
Earth, such as in food safety protocols or reflective insulation.
This Moonlight investment will contribute to the next generation
of advancements in lunar exploration that will lead to further
scientific discoveries and technological improvements – all of
which have the potential to benefit our lives on Earth.
As a founding member of ESA, which is independent of the EU, the
UK space sector plays a leading role in international missions
and innovative commercial programmes. The UK committed £207
million to ESA telecommunications programmes during the
Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris in November 2022. The £51
million announced today for Moonlight is part of that commitment.
If you are interested in taking part in Moonlight please contact
the UK Space Agency at telecoms@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.
