ESA and CDS

ESA and CDS announce the signature of a contract for executing a Technology Demonstration of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Communications and Positioning on the Moon.

The Demonstration will consist in a series of measurements taken to assess the suitability and performance of UWB impulse radio technology for implementing short range communications combined with a positioning solution to be used by future lunar navigation systems in areas with no satellite coverage. According to the terms of the contract, CDS will use the specialized services provided by ispace on its Mission 3 for transportation of the experimental payload to the Moon and for mobility on the Lunar surface.

“We are honored by the trust placed in CDS by ESA and our partners and we are highly motivated to execute the first ever Romanian mission to the Moon”, said Ovidiu Ratiu, Founder and CEO of CDS. “This Technology Demonstration will lay the foundation for CDS to build and commercially operate a Lunar Infrastructure for short range communications and positioning. Such infrastructure will be necessary to ensure safe and accurate operations of astronauts, rovers and landers and is therefore a critical component of the future Lunar Economy”, he added.

“This contract represents an important step in fostering closer collaboration between public institutions and private space companies. We’re proud to support Romania’s first lunar payload, and we see this as a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate how partnerships like this can make lunar exploration more accessible for the European industry.”, said Julien Lamamy, CEO of ispace-EUROPE. “Securing this contract with the European Space Agency marks an incredible milestone—not only for lunar exploration but for the future of Romanian space contributions. We are honored to play a part in enabling Romania’s first payload to reach the Moon, a testament to the progress and promise of European collaboration in advancing humanity’s reach into space. Together, we’re paving the way for more collaboration between ESA and commercial companies on the lunar surface”

"With the award of this contract, the European Space Agency takes a meaningful step forward in enhancing lunar surface communication and ranging capabilities, recognizing CDS Romania as a vital partner in cutting-edge technology development and ispace as a dedicated service provider for lunar transportation and mobility”, said Laurentiu Nicolae, Lead Payload Engineer in the Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA. He continued to add that “This technology demonstration, marking Romania's first-ever payload on the far side of the Moon, represents a milestone not only for Romania but for Europe as a whole. The deployment of CDS's Ultra-Wide Band communication and ranging system on the lunar surface will establish a foundation for more precise, resilient communication infrastructure, critical for future Moon missions. This investment highlights the Agency’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration in space exploration alongside our industrial partners."

Ovidiu Ratiu, Founder & CEO - CDS, Berengere Houdou, Team Lead – Lunar Resources and Infrastructure Team, ESA, Charlotte Nassey, Senior Government Affairs & Policy Officer - ispace Europe, Laurentiu Nicolae, Technical Officer – Lunar Resources and Infrastructure Team, ESA

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 after Romania joined ESA in 2011, including wireless applications for satellite AIT operations and the development of a wireless communication bus for satellite applications.

About ispace, inc. (https://ispace-inc.com) ispace, a global lunar resource development 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 March 1, 2024 ispace, inc. United States with more than 300 employees worldwide. For more information, visit: www.ispace- inc.com and follow us on X: @ispace_inc.

About ESA (https://www.esa.int): The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 22-member intergovernmental body devoted to space exploration. The ESA's space flight programme includes human spaceflight (mainly through participation in the International Space Station program); the launch and operation of crewless exploration missions to other planets (such as Mars) and the Moon; Earth observation, science and telecommunication; designing launch vehicles; and maintaining a major spaceport, the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou (French Guiana), France.