Plus Ultra and ispace to deploy infrastructure in lunar orbit

Edinburgh / Luxembourg, 21 January 2022. – Plus Ultra Space Outposts, a European company developing a lunar satellite constellation, and ispace Europe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for working together on joint lunar missions, ispace announced. The MoU comprises the deployment of communication and navigation satellites into lunar orbit as early as 2024.

Plus Ultra and lunar exploration company ispace, plan to examine possibilities of commercial space resources on and around the Moon. According to the MoU, ispace will transport Plus Ultra’s communication satellites to the Moon. Plus Ultra will then provide lunar communications and navigation services to ispace in return.

Plus Ultra aims to launch ‘Harmony’, a lunar satellite constellation, for continuous, high-speed communications of up to 100 Mbps. The speed is planned to be stable between any location on or around the Moon and anywhere on Earth. The service is to improve navigation of space vehicles operated by ispace, as well as other commercial and governmental operators.