Crescent's Lunar Network Provides Customers with
Game-Changing Communications and Navigation Capabilities
DENVER, March 28,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Crescent Space Services
LLC announced its entry into the lunar infrastructure sector.
Crescent Space is a new commercial company launched by Lockheed
Martin (NYSE: LMT) that provides infrastructure-as-a-service for
lunar missions.
Why Invest in Lunar Infrastructure?
As humankind expands its presence beyond low-Earth orbit, one of
the first key challenges is uninterrupted communications between
Earth, the Moon, and the growing number of lunar missions. To do
this seamlessly – especially on the far side of the Moon –
customers need a network that helps them talk over vast distances,
like what cell towers enable here on Earth.
With its agile, services-based business model, Crescent directly
responds to this need, offering an initial service called
Parsec®: a cislunar communications and navigation
network. Parsec uses a constellation of small lunar satellites that
will collectively work to provide continuous connection between
Earth and the people and assets in lunar orbit, as well as on the
surface of the Moon. In addition to communications, Parsec will
also provide critical position, timing and navigation services for
lunar missions.
Crescent will own and operate the Parsec network upon launch of
its first nodes in 2025. Lockheed Martin will produce and deliver
the Parsec spacecraft to Crescent, drawing upon its deep expertise
developing exploration missions, communications satellites,
software and GPS satellites.
A Team of Trailblazers
Crescent is led by CEO Joe
Landon, who previously served as vice president of Advanced
Programs Development for Lockheed Martin Space. In this role,
Landon was responsible for Lockheed Martin's space exploration
strategy. As part of this, he led growth, strategy and research and
development for the company's Commercial Civil Space line of
business. He was also instrumental in developing the concept for
Crescent and launching the company. Before his time at Lockheed
Martin, Landon was an early entrepreneur and investor in the
commercial space sector.
For Crescent, Landon has brought together a world-class team
whose previous expertise supporting civil, commercial and military
space missions makes them a perfect fit to lead the charge in
providing services for the lunar economy.
"Crescent is well positioned to serve the upcoming wave of lunar
science and exploration missions, including NASA's crewed Artemis
moon landings," said Landon. "With Lockheed Martin's investment and
access to its technical capabilities and deep space experience,
Crescent is set up to ensure Parsec will be ready to provide
reliable and affordable communications services for our
customers."
Looking Ahead to the Future
As a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, Crescent aims to leverage
reliable technical heritage from the company and combine that with
the speed and agility of a commercial services platform to deliver
an array of essential services for lunar operations.
With momentum gaining around humanity's return to the Moon, this
is an immediate area of opportunity for Crescent. In the future,
Crescent plans to offer additional services to further enable
science, exploration and commerce at the Moon and in deep
space.
About Crescent
Crescent is a commercial services company created by Lockheed
Martin that provides infrastructure-as-a-service for lunar missions
operated by both commercial and government customers. The company
leverages Lockheed Martin's deep technical heritage and reliability
in space with the speed and agility of a commercial services
platform to deliver critical services needed to operate on and
around the moon. Visit www.crescentspace.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin