UK Moonlight team expands

Above: Viasat joined leaders from SSTL, MDA Space UK, UK Space Agency and European Space Agency at the UK Space Conference.  From left to right are Ülar Kaldasaun, Director Mission Concepts, Viasat, Harshbir Sangha, Director of Missions and Capabilities at the UK Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, Anita Bernie, Managing Director of MDA Space UK, Andrew Cawthorne, Managing Director of SSTL and Laurent Jaffart, European Space Agency Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications. 
Courtesy Viasat 

Moonlight is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) programme to develop a lunar orbiting Navigation and Communication system that will greatly enhance combined navigation and communications services for European and international missions both on the surface of the Moon and in lunar orbit.

The Moonlight communications system, targeting initial capability by 2028 and full operations by 2030, will act as a data highway on and around the Moon, and between Earth and the Moon. People, spacecraft, and lunar vehicles could then access the data highway to simplify and speed up communications between each other and back to Earth. This would help support a future ‘lunar economy’ with more frequent and longer scientific and human missions, space tourism, and even manufacturing programs leveraging rare materials found on the lunar surface.

Viasat, working with Moonlight program lead Telespazio, is responsible for the design and development of the communication network, the definition of the end-to-end communications service, the communication space infrastructure, earth ground infrastructure, and the communication lunar surface user terminals.

Working with the UK Space Agency – a major Moonlight contributor – Viasat is also leading the UK space ecosystem to deliver the required lunar communications capabilities. Now part of the program, SSTL and MDA Space UK will help develop designs and proposals for a range of advanced technologies, infrastructure, and network requirements needed to establish the future Moonlight satellite system that meets service, schedule and business case requirements.

Yasrine Ibnyahya, Vice President of Innovation, Viasat, said: “Moonlight is among the most exciting and ambitious projects being undertaken right now and will support future generations of space exploration. Our participation builds on our heritage of providing commercial satellite services and delivering highly innovative satellite programs, but to get there we’ll need an ecosystem of experts all working together alongside the European and UK Space Agencies to make it happen. The UK, home to our International Business Headquarters, is an ideal place for us to lead the charge."

Andrew Cawthorne, Managing Director, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, said: “We’re proud to be part of the Viasat-led UK team that’s helping turn ESA’s Moonlight vision into reality. Building on our core role in Lunar Pathfinder and decades of experience in pioneering small satellite missions, SSTL is excited to contribute its expertise to delivering reliable, high-performance lunar communications services. Moonlight is a powerful example of the strength, ambition, and international relevance of the UK space sector.”

Anita Bernie, Managing Director of MDA Space UK, said: “MDA Space UK is proud to be helping shape the future of lunar exploration through critical communications technologies that will enable the next wave of commercial and institutional missions. This milestone builds on our deep heritage in space infrastructure and reflects our growing capabilities in the UK. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Viasat and SSTL as we define this vital system.” 

Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, said: “The welcome addition of SSTL and MDA Space brings our aim to establish communication and navigation on and around the Moon closer than ever, and I am particularly proud to see the UK space ecosystem playing a key role in helping us to get there. Moonlight is set to be a game-changer for lunar exploration, making use of an interoperable infrastructure that will significantly enhance mission capabilities while reducing complexity and cost.”

Dr Craig Brown, Director of Investment at the UK Space Agency, said: “The UK has a proud legacy of innovation in satellite communications and enabling new commercial markets. The Moonlight programme offers a transformative opportunity for the UK to build a robust lunar communications infrastructure. Through collaboration between Viasat, SSTL and MDA Space, this initiative places the UK space sector at the forefront of the emerging lunar economy—expected to generate tens of billions in global revenue—while creating high-skilled jobs and showcasing the depth of British industry. By supporting this initiative, we’re making the lunar surface more accessible for scientific and commercial activities.”