ispace EUROPE S.A. (ispace-EUROPE), the Luxembourg-based subsidiary of ispace, inc., and Control Data Systems SRL (CDS) have signed a payload services agreement to transport precise location measurement equipment to the Moon, the two companies announced.
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Julien Lamamy, CEO of ispace-Europe and Ovidiu Ratiu, Founder and CEO of CDS at a meeting in Luxembourg. (Photo: Business Wire)
CDS’s technology, which combines precision localization with telecommunications, uses Ultra-Wideband for determining precise positions and was developed specifically for space applications with support from the European Space Agency. The lack of a GPS-like system on the Moon, makes the technology ground-breaking for future applications related to lunar exploration.
The agreement between the two companies marks the first joint step towards significant contributions to the scientific understanding of the Moon for potential future commercial purposes. It also represents the first Romanian payload to be delivered to the lunar surface. The technology will be integrated into the APEX 1.0 lunar lander as part of ispace technologies U.S. (ispace-U.S.) Mission 3, currently scheduled for 2026. A lunar rover will transport the CDS equipment on the surface to test the localization technology using an antenna that will remain on the APEX 1.0 lander.
“ispace is providing access to the lunar surface for companies here in Europe and around the world, allowing them to demonstrate and prove their technology,” said Julien Lamamy, CEO of ispace-EUROPE. “We are proud to provide transportation and services to CDS so that they can realize Romania’s first commercial mission to the Moon.”
“CDS is developing communications and positioning technologies which are critical for the future of Moon exploration. Working with ispace will provide us with the opportunity to demonstrate critical technological blocks in the lunar environment for the benefit of future missions.” stated Ovidiu Ratiu, Founder and CEO at CDS.
This payload services agreement is the result of collaboration based on a memorandum of understanding signed by ispace and CDS and announced on March 1, 2024.
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About ispace, inc. (https://ispace-inc.com)
ispace, a global lunar exploration company with the vision, “Expand our planet. Expand our future.”, specializes in designing and building lunar landers and rovers. ispace aims to extend the sphere of human life into space and create a sustainable world by providing high-frequency, low-cost transportation services to the Moon. The company has business entities in Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States with approximately 300 employees worldwide. For more information, visit: www.ispace-inc.com and follow us on X: @ispace_inc.
About CDS (https://www.cds.ro/)
Founded in 1994, Control Data Systems SRL (CDS) is a privately owned technology company located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. CDS is a developer of wireless products and technologies for industrial applications in areas such as aerospace, oil and gas and environmental monitoring, and has successfully executed multiple research projects in the space domain with ESA funding, including wireless applications for satellite AIT operations and the development of a wireless communication bus for satellite applications.
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