This paper presents the design and performance of a communications payload module equipped with dedicated antennas for K-band, UHF and S-band links, which is envisaged as part of a possible future satellite constellation. The proposed design enables high availability and high capacity digital communication links between the Moon and Earth for a wide range of lunar missions; manned and unmanned, orbiters (including cubesats), landers, sample return vehicles, and includes compatibility to missions such as Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway and Orion.

Inspec keywords: space vehicles; satellite communication; digital communication; Moon; artificial satellites; space communication links

Other keywords: high capacity digital communication links; dedicated antennas; UHF; communications payload module; cislunar communications; satellite payload design; possible future satellite constellation; K-band; including cubesats; S-band links; Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway; lunar missions

Subjects: Aerospace transportation (energy utilisation); Lunar, planetary, and deep-space probes