Japan, USA, EU, Chinaplans for Lunar PNT andinternational collaboration
Masaya Murata (JAXA)LNSS is GPS-like satellite system for the moon designed by JAXA

Target:South Poleregion

LNSS satellite
functioning as
data relay
satellite

LNSS satellite
broadcastingnavigation
signal2

LNSS real-time PNT service at South Pole region

PNT calculation
by LNSS receiver
onboard rover

LNSS satellite
broadcastingnavigation
signalStable moon
orbits covering
South Poleregion
3LNSS satellite constellation for South Pole region

HDOP of around
1.3 always atSouth Pole region
4

GNSS navigation (real-time OD) for LNSS satellites, making the LNSS autonomous

GNSS satellite

Cis-lunar
space

JAXA LNSSsatellite

weak signal

SISE of less than20m (RMS) after
filter convergence5Expected single point positioning (SSP) accuracy at the South Pole
(Our requirement is < 40m in terms of the horizontal (2D) positioning accuracy)

・Average SSP errors:
3D position 37.7m,
2D position 13.8m,
Vertical 32.8m,
Clock bias 6.6E-08s

Error (m)Time (s)Less than 40m formost of the epochs
6

Expected navigation accuracy for moving object such as pressurized rover(Our requirement is < 10m in terms of the horizontal (2D) positioning accuracy)
Error (m)Initial filter convergence
takes about 5-10 mins

LNSS + highgrade IMU(1Hzmeasurements)

LNSS + highgrade IMU
Circular movement with a velocity (10Hzof 3m/s at the south latitude of 85° measurements)

10m (RMS) accuracy
is attainable
Initial filter convergence
takes about 5-10 mins

Horizontalpositioning
error of 10 m

Time (s)Horizontalpositioning
error of 10 m7NASA Status

9

10

First ever GNSS data acquisition at moon

11

12

13

Lunar Communications Relay andNavigation Systems (LCRNS), Lockheed
Martin’s Parsec to be launched in 2025

14

15

Their IOC will potentially split into three phases: Inc-Alpha, Inc-Bravo, Inc-Charlie

Their on-orbit service testing is in 2025
and service validation is in 2028

A possibility that there will be four NASA(LCRNS) satellites in 2028

ESA Status⇒Q4 202518

⇒launch in Q4 2025

19

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22

23

24

China Status

Beijing
22-27 April 2023

2-3 hours byexpress train

Xi’anHefei

ShanghaiChengduPresented our LNSS (Lunar Navigation
Satellite System) and its demonstration
mission plan

27

Queqiao (QQ)-Net plan～2030
50Mbps return, 100m positioning accuracy

China’s lunar
comm&nav systemcalled Queqiao（鵲橋）

2030～2040
1～10Gbps return, 50m positioning accuracy
2040～2050>10Gbps return, 10m positioning accuracy
Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

Chang’e (嫦娥)- 6 in 2024

Moon exploration

Chang’e 7 in 2026 Chang’e 8 in 2028

International Lunar
Research Station (ILRS)

manned exploration

Planet exploration

Sun exploration

Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

Queqiao-2 will be launched in early 2024
to support Chang’e-6, 7, and 8

Tiandu (天都)-1, 2 will be launched together with
Queqiao-2 for comm&nav experiment

Queqiao-3
under planning

Reminding that ESA Lunar Pathfinder is currently scheduled in Q4 2025, Queqiao-2 is faster.
Their schedule is as fast as NASA, showing USA and China are now in space race for the moon
Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

Queqiao-2

Tiandu-1, 2

Chang’e 6 (in 2024), 7 (in 2026)
and 8 (in 2028) robotic lunar
missions
Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

Chang’e 6 in May 2024

Chang’e 7 in 2026 and Queqiao-2

Chang’e 8 in 2028
and International Lunar
Research Station (ILRS)
construction

Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for
QQnet Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023.
© 2023 CASC

Concept of QQ-Net
under study (to bedeployed before 2040)
Moon

They are now in the one-year competition
study phase for the QQ-Net (2023.4-2024.4)

Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

Expansion to Mars,Venus, … to be realized
before 2050

Venus

Mars
Moon

Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) under planning by China and Russia.
Construction starts from 2028 (by Chang’e 8) and basic model completed by 2030

ILRS Cooperation Organization (ILRSCO)
that is analogous to the U.S.-led Artemis
program and its political underpinning,
the Artemis Accords

For peaceful use, equal right, collaborative
development

Photos taken from “Report 3: Global Call & Competition for QQnet
Constellation Solution”, Tiandu Forum, Apr. 25, 2023. © 2023 CASC

We join LunaNet and its Lunar
Augmented Navigation System (LANS)
with NASA and ESA

The Lunar augmented navigation system (LANS) is the GNSS-like system for the moon

Augmented
forward signal(AFS)

Augmented
forward signal(AFS)The LANS satellites all broadcast
the same navigation signal (AFS)JAXA LNSS
satellite

ESA Moonlightsatellite

NASA LCRNS (Lunar
Communications Relayand Navigation Systems)
satellites
This figure is copied from the LunaNet
Interoperability Specification (LNIS)
37

LunaNet Interoperability Specification (LNIS)The LNIS includes:
Published by NASA and ESA・The message format of the AFS, signal frequency,power, etc.
・The LANS Initial Operations Capability (IOC) andEnhanced Operations Capability (EOC)・Accuracy specification (Signal-In-Space-Errors) for
the LunaNet Service Providers (LNSP)
・Lunar Reference Frame Standard and Lunar Time
System Standard

Version 4 – September 2022

JAXA LNSS complies with the LNIS tobe compatible and interoperable withthe other LNSP such as ESA and NASA38

Each LNSP shall ensure that the AFS maintains Signal-In-Space-Errors (SISEs) within
the requirement specified in Table C-1 at the defined service volume
LANS initialoperationscapability(IOC) servicevolumeBoth SISEs are based on lunar
reference frame and time, which
will be defined in the applicable
documents to the LNIS calledLunar Reference Frame Standardand Lunar Time System Standard
39

Our LNSS Demonstration Mission
Under PlanningLNSS demonstration mission targeting around 2028

JAXA LNSS
satellite

JAXA H3rocket

JAXA smalllander carrying
LNSS receiver41

We deploy one LNSS satellite and one LNSS receiver at South Pole region
GNSS satellite

JAXA LNSS
satellite

LNSS receiverat South Poleregion

weak signal

weak signal

42

Proposing first-ever lunar PNT SISE evaluation and interoperability demonstration
GNSS satellite

JAXA LNSS
satellite

LNSS receiverat South Poleregion

weak signal

LANS receiver

weak signal
ESAMoonlightsatellite

NASA LCRNS
satellites
43

Conclusions
・The JAXA LNSS will comply with the LunaNet Interoperability Specification(LNIS) and join the Lunar Augmented Navigation System (LANS) that becomesthe moon GNSS.
・We are planning our demonstration mission around 2028 and our receiver tobe located at South Pole region will be interoperable so that all LunaNet Service
Providers (LNSPs) Augmented Forward Signals (AFSs) will be received.

・I believe this demonstration mission will contribute to the SISE evaluation for
all LNSPs such as NASA, ESA, and JAXA joining the LANS. Related collaboration
discussion has been already ongoing both bilaterally and multilaterally.
44

Discussion ongoing with foreign colleagues

45This year’s ION GNSS+2023 lunar PNT panel
https://www.ion.org/gnss/sessions.cfm?sessionID=1596

ESA MoonlightNASA LCRNSJAXA LNSS

We are partners, working
together towards themoon GNSS (LANS)
46

Thanks!
Masaya Murata (JAXA)
murata.masaya@jaxa.jp