Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO, Viasat with Gabriele Pieralli, CEO, Telespazio.
Viasat to lead the lunar orbiting satellite communications portion of ESA’s Moonlight Program, alongside Telespazio and a host of other European and UK companies.
Project creates Europe’s first lunar orbiting satellite network.
LONDON, March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, today joined the European Space Agency’s Moonlight project (“Moonlight”), alongside program lead Telespazio.
Moonlight is the European Space Agency's (ESA) program 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 will act as a data highway on and around the Moon, and between Earth and the Moon. People, spacecraft, and lunar vehicles can access that data highway to simplify and speed communications among themselves and back to earth to better enable their scientific and exploration projects including their position over the Moon. Over time, Moonlight is anticipated to support additional commercial activities on the Moon such as space tourism, and manufacturing programs leveraging rare materials found on the lunar surface.
Viasat will be responsible for the design and development of the communication network and will lead the definition of the end-to-end communications services: aiming to provide a communications network for lunar landers, rovers, orbiters, and other technology. Viasat will also be responsible for the communication earth ground infrastructure and communication lunar surface user terminals. Telespazio, as Moonlight program lead, has executed a contract with Viasat for the initial design phase of the communication system. This work will be fully funded by the European Space Agency throughout Phase 1.
The UK Space Agency, as one of the major contributors to ESA’s Moonlight program, selected Viasat to lead the UK ecosystem to deliver the communications capability. Moonlight services will be deployed in phases, targeting initial capability at the end of 2028 with full operations aimed by 2030.
Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO, Viasat, said: “Moonlight is among the most forward looking and exciting projects undertaken by the European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency. Viasat’s participation builds on our heritage of delivering and operating highly innovative and ambitious satellite communication programs. Alongside Telespazio, we look forward to supporting the Space Agencies by leveraging our commercial orientation, network engineering and operational skills, to reliably and securely support future generations of space exploration.”
Gabriele Pieralli, CEO, Telespazio, said: “This marks a pivotal milestone in our commitment to the Moonlight program. By partnering with a global leader in satellite communications, we can harness cutting-edge technologies to create a secure and efficient communications and navigation infrastructure — essential for the success of lunar missions. This collaboration reinforces our drive to innovate and deliver comprehensive solutions, paving the way for a new era in lunar exploration and resource utilization.”
Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, said: "Moonlight is a game-changer for lunar exploration. By providing reliable communications and navigation as a service, we're enabling future missions to dedicate more of their payload capacity to mission-critical instruments. This interoperable infrastructure will significantly enhance mission capabilities while reducing complexity and cost, ultimately accelerating humanity's return to the Moon."
Craig Brown, Investment Director at The UK Space Agency, said: “The Moonlight initiative will showcase Viasat’s and the UK’s leadership in emerging commercial markets such as the lunar economy. Once developed, the service will not only advance our capabilities across satellite communications but also provide reliable navigation and communication services to the growing number of commercial and institutional missions to the lunar surface over the next decade.
“Viasat is a crucial addition to the Moonlight partnership, and the new lunar economy, driving innovation and creating high-skilled jobs across the country.”
Giancarlo Varacalli, Head of Telecommunications and Navigation at the Italian Space Agency(ASI),said: “Moonlight is steadily taking shape, and the inclusion of Viasat marks a significant milestone towards the provision of communications and navigation services for future ambitious lunar missions. Italy is proudly at the forefront of this endeavour, with ASI strong support and through its leading industrial excellence, aiming at playing a major role in a sustainable presence on the Moon.”
Notes to editors Telespazio - a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%) - is prime contractor for the Moonlight Program, previously signing a €123m contract for the implementation of the infrastructure of the Moonlight programme in late 2024 as part of phase 1 activities.
The consortium includes Telespazio as prime contractor responsible for the overall system as well as a pool of companies including Hispasat, Viasat, Thales Alenia Space Italia, SSTL, Qascom, MDA, KSat, Telespazio UK, Telespazio Iberica, SDA Bocconi, POLIMI, CRAS and SIA for the design, implementation and operational qualification of the system.
Viasat’s involvement in Moonlight as end-to-end communications lead is fully funded by European Space Agency throughout Phase 1. Viasat plans to provide the skillset for its engineering and technology operations from its International Business Headquarters in London.
About Viasat Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. With offices in 24 countries around the world, our mission shapes how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate and connect. Viasat is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, reliable, secure, affordable, fast connections to positively impact people’s lives anywhere they are - on the ground, in the air or at sea, while building a sustainable future in space. In May 2023, Viasat completed its acquisition of Inmarsat, combining the teams, technologies and resources of the two companies to create a new global communications partner. Learn more at www.viasat.com, the Viasat News Room or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, and YouTube.
About Telespazio Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), is one of the world's leading operators in space services: from the design and development of space systems to the management of satellite launch and in-orbit control services; from Earth observation, integrated communications, satellite navigation, and positioning services to scientific programs. The company plays a key role in its reference markets, leveraging over 60 years of technological expertise, infrastructure, and participation in space programs such as Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus, COSMO-SkyMed and Moonlight. Telespazio, together with Thales Alenia Space, forms the "Space Alliance" and generated a revenue of €700 million in 2023, with 3,300 employees in fifteen countries. www.telespazio.com
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to the Moonlight program, future phases of the Moonlight Project and the future potential of the lunar economy. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: unexpected expenses related to our satellite projects; our ability to successfully implement our business plan for our broadband services on our anticipated timeline or at all; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites and space infrastructure used the Moonlight project, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; our ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; introduction and reliability of new technologies and other factors affecting the communications and space communications generally; the effect of adverse regulatory changes (including changes affecting spectrum availability or permitted uses) on our ability to sell or deploy our products and services; changes in the way others use spectrum; our inability to access additional spectrum, use spectrum for additional purposes, and/or operate satellites at additional orbital locations; competing uses of the same spectrum or orbital locations that we utilize or seek to utilize; In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in our SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
