Qascom, the company that, together with Asi, brought Italy to the Moon

LuGre, the Made in Italy device funded by the Italian Space Agency, has proven that it can be done: having a lunar navigation system based on Gps and Galileo signals.

BY EMILIO COZZI

When something happens for the first time, it’s worth paying attention to it.

For Qascom, this happened three times within a couple of months: the first when its device LuGre, the “TomTom” of space on board the Blue Ghost 1 lander by the Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, collected signals from GPS and Galileo satellites over 331,000 kilometers from Earth. Then, a few weeks later, when it did the same from lunar orbit, about 410,000 kilometers away.

Finally, on March 3, after the landing, at 7:10 am, it pointed the antenna towards our planet, and at 7:48 AM, it provided its position using, it’s worth emphasizing, only terrestrial systems.

The first signal acquired was a Gps G25 signal on L1 and L5 frequencies. The real breakthrough came just a few minutes later. By analyzing the received data, it was found that LuGre had locked onto four satellites: two from the Gps system (G18, G25) and two from the Galileo system (E2, E3).

LuGre is the first active Made in Italy instrument to land on the Moon (the only previous one being the reflector on the Chinese Chang’e 6 mission lander).

Acronym for “Lunar Gnss Receiver Experiment,” it demonstrated that satellite navigation systems can be used even at such a distance, in anticipation of covering our natural satellite with its own dedicated positioning and navigation network. The project is the result of collaboration between Nasa, the Italian Space Agency (Asi), and the scientific contribution of the Polytechnic University of Turin. Science, technology, and institutions of our country working together.

Founded in 2004 by cousins Oscar and Alessandro Pozzobon with Chris Wullems, Qascom works on satellite navigation systems and cybersecurity.

The Veneto-based company, headquartered in Bassano del Grappa, is already a benchmark in the sector: for example, it contributed to the development of the Galileo Osnma (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) security service, used by billions of Gnss devices worldwide. Today, with LuGre, it takes its experience to an unprecedented level: “We have created a unique receiver on a global scale,” explains Oscar Pozzobon, ceo of Qascom. “Our goal was to demonstrate the possibility of receiving Gps and Galileo signals even on the Moon, navigating and calculating position in an environment never tested before.”
The main challenges were to create a robust solution resistant to the radiation of the lunar environment – we are outside the protection of Earth’s magnetic field – the ability to receive low-power signals, and the development of unconventional navigation algorithms. “Thanks to the modularity and configurability of the receiver, we are already updating it for its future use in the Esa Moonlight program,” the ceo adds.

Navigating in Deep Space

LuGre is an advanced Gnss receiver capable of acquiring signals (in the L1, L5, E1, and E5 bands) from two constellations in particular: the US Gps and the European Galileo. The system, developed entirely by a team of 20 engineers from Qascom over the past three years, includes a high-gain antenna mounted on a mechanical arm to allow pointing towards Earth even from the lunar surface. It will be used for navigation, calculating position, and time around the Moon and on its surface.

After the first 45 days, the transfer from Earth to the lunar surface, the test is set to continue for 14 days following the Moon landing. LuGre is the first Gnss system to operate beyond Earth’s orbit, opening new possibilities for exploration. In the next decade, more than 250 lunar missions are expected, from private companies and government agencies. “The availability of navigation and telecommunications services will be essential for every lunar activity,” emphasizes Pozzobon, “from astronaut habitats to logistics, as well as waste and resource management.”

The data collected will be made public at the end of the mission for the benefit of the entire scientific community and will contribute to the development and validation of new Gnss receivers for future lunar explorations. Major space agencies are already working on satellite constellations dedicated to lunar navigation: Nasa has launched the “Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems” program, while the European Space Agency (Esa) is working on the “Lunar Communications and Navigation Services” project, also known as Moonlight. The use of Gnss signals could thus represent a strategic initial solution to synchronize time with Earth and support rovers and landers in their missions. Until dedicated constellations arrive, the first step towards a bridge solution has been made thanks to Qascom and the Italian Space Agency, with the support of PoliTo.

LuGre was developed as part of Nasa’s “Commercial Lunar Payload Services” (Clps) program, which is part of the broader Artemis program, aiming to kickstart the commercial exploration of the Moon with scientific and industrial demonstrators. It is the result of agreements between the Italian Space Agency and Nasa.

Towards New Space and the Lunar Economy

The LuGre experiment will have significant implications for the development of new technologies. “The data collected will be analyzed in real time at our remote control center in Bassano del Grappa and at Nasa’s Gsfc in the United States,” explains Pozzobon. Qascom is not limiting itself to this mission: as mentioned, the company has already started updating its receiver for the Moonlight program, which aims to create a stable lunar navigation and telecommunications infrastructure. “Our approach is that of new space,” concludes Pozzobon. “It means developing technologies more quickly and at lower costs to make space exploration more accessible.”

In addition to designing Gnss receivers, Qascom is a reference in the simulation sector. The company specializes in creating artificial signals that replicate those of Gps, Galileo, and other Pnt (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) systems. This technology allows testing of tools and protocols before launching them into space, verifying their resistance to extreme conditions and threats such as jamming and spoofing. “Simulating a Gnss signal means being able to alter and distort it,” explains Pozzobon. “It’s a crucial step in ensuring the security and effectiveness of our systems, both on Earth and in space.”