Attention IOAG community!
The LunaNet Interoperability Specification (LNIS), version 5, has just been baselined and released by NASA for open, international use. Developed by the initial LunaNet Partners – ESA, JAXA and NASA – this version is considerably expanded and altered from version 4 that was used as the basis for procurements by all three Partners that were announced last year. This version was fully coordinated by the Partners and formally released after approval by NASA at the joint Directorate Program Management Council meeting on January 29<sup>th</sup>.
The new version 5 updates the core LNIS document and adds the first of eight planned Applicable Documents that will cover topics that contain new technical information that is not captured by existing international standards. Applicable Document 1, Volume A, covers the Signal-In-Space Recommended Standard that defines the Augmented Forward Signal for the Lunar Augmented Navigation Service (LANS), i.e., the navigation broadcast that is similar to terrestrial Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
LNIS version 5 introduces the terminology that describes the initial step of developing the broader LunaNet system-of-systems, now referred to as LunaNet 1.0 (LN1.0). It defines capabilities that the Partners are implementing in their initial space systems. Still, version 5 contains many TBDs and undefined sections that are planned to be resolved in LNIS version 6. Version 6 is intended to complete definition of LN1.0. This will still leave future capabilities beyond LN1.0 undefined that will require continued collaboration to determine the way forward. The current Partners anticipate growth in the number of Partners as well as Users as the Partners begin fielding operational LunaNet capabilities in the next several years.
This is a significant accomplishment due in no small part to the IOAG including its Lunar Communication Architecture (Feb 2022) and review comments on the draft version 5 (2024).
Congratulations!
Jim Schier, chair, IOAG