Moonlight Programme

ESA's Moonlight programme develops lunar communications and navigation services through a partnership with an industry consortium led by Telespazio, supported by the UK and Italian space agencies. Its planned constellation comprises one communications satellite and four navigation satellites linked to dedicated Earth ground stations, with priority coverage of the lunar south pole. Lunar Pathfinder is a precursor communications service, while the full constellation is a staged infrastructure development. Interoperability with NASA and JAXA through LunaNet standards is part of the plan; the proposed services should not be read as an already completed network.