Lockheed Martin Plans to Build Lunar Satellite Network

upstart writes:

Crescent Space will be 'well positioned' to get a piece of NASA's cash pie, no contract yet:

Aerospace firm Lockheed Martin has announced the launch of a subsidiary to build a satellite communications network to connect future Moon missions with those of us stuck on Earth.

Crescent Space Services' first big project will be Parsec, a "novel cislunar communications and navigation network," which will use a constellation of small satellites built by Lockheed Martin to connect lunar explorers to each other and ground control on Earth.

Lockheed Martin describes Parsec's communications links between the Moon and Earth as being "completely controlled by the network," which it said will save those involved in mission planning some IT support time so they can focus on operations instead.

Along with being a communications network, Parsec will also act as a lunar positioning system "informing those on the ground of their exact location, hidden hazards and even how to get back to base," Lockheed Martin said.

[...] "With momentum gaining around humanity's return to the Moon, this is an immediate area of opportunity for Crescent," the company said - without stating whether it had actually secured any deals to get its constellation into orbit.

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