JAXA COMMISSIONS ARKEDGE FOR LUNAR NAVIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Japan’s space agency has awarded two contracts to ArkEdge Space to develop lunar PNT capabilities, including receiver integration for Artemis rovers and cross-agency signal interoperability.
SYSTEM LOG: LUNAR POSITIONING
JAXA is accelerating efforts to deploy GPS-like capabilities on the lunar surface. According to Payload, the Japanese space agency has selected Tokyo-based startup ArkEdge Space for two critical navigation demonstration projects. These awards expand on the firm's ongoing work to establish a microsatellite constellation in cislunar orbit.
//CONTRACT 01: LANS INTEGRATION
The first contract focuses on the Lunar Augmented Navigation Service (LANS). ArkEdge is tasked with a feasibility study to integrate a LANS receiver into JAXA’s pressurized crew rover, a vehicle currently slated for deployment within the NASA-led Artemis program. The scope of work includes defining hardware specifications—specifically mass, power consumption, and thermal dissipation—while identifying necessary technological advancements to ensure system reliability in the lunar environment.
//CONTRACT 02: SIGNAL INTEROPERABILITY
The second award involves the development of a receiver capable of processing signals from Japan’s dedicated Lunar Navigation Satellite System (LNSS) demonstration satellite, also an ArkEdge project. Critically, the hardware is being designed for multi-agency compatibility, enabling it to receive signals from NASA and ESA satellite assets.
Toshihiro Shibukawa, head of ArkEdge’s PNT department, noted that both signal transmission and receiver tech are essential for human exploration. While the financial terms of the contracts remain classified, the objective is clear: establishing a unified, international standard for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) on the Moon.