COMBINED COMMUNICATIONS AND PNT USER TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT - EXPRO PLUS

The LightShip mission envisions deploying passenger spacecraft in Low Mars Orbit equipped with a User Terminal (UT) to access communications and position, navigation and timing (PNT) services. Developing a combined communications and PNT terminal would reduce size and mass, benefiting both spacecraft and overall mission efficiency, while also offering applicability to future deep space and lunar missions. The objective is to design a modular hardware architecture adaptable to various mission profiles, including transfer, orbital, lander, and surface operations. The software will include generic components alongside a customizable navigation engine, with a focus on real-time reduced dynamic solutions for demanding scenarios such as Mars transfer and orbiting. The activity will alsovalidate navigation techniques combining one-way and two-way measurements to improve accuracy and timing. Ground Support Equipment will be developed to test system performance under simulated Mars conditions, supporting hardware and software design, manufacturing,testing, and future flight model development.