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Earth GPS now linked to the Moon – This unprecedented NASA breakthrough is rewriting space navigation

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18 Mar, 2025

This post was originally published on Sustainability Times

Source: Sustainability Times

IN A NUTSHELL
  • 🌕 NASA has achieved a milestone by enabling Earth’s GPS technology on the Moon, transforming lunar navigation.
  • 🚀 The LuGRE experiment, developed in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency, successfully tracked GNSS signals from 225,000 miles away.
  • 🌌 The mission has set new records in cislunar space, demonstrating the feasibility of GNSS technology for autonomous spacecraft navigation.
  • 🤝 International collaboration played a crucial role, showcasing the benefits of partnerships in advancing space exploration.

In a groundbreaking achievement, the boundaries of space exploration have been further expanded with the integration of Earth’s Global Positioning System (GPS) on the lunar surface. This milestone marks a significant step forward in lunar navigation, addressing the long-standing challenge of accurately traversing the Moon’s surface. The successful application of GPS technology on the Moon heralds a new era for future missions, particularly under NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. This development not only enhances navigation precision but also signifies the potential for autonomous space exploration.

The Role of LuGRE in Lunar Navigation

The Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) has been instrumental in breaking new ground in lunar navigation. Delivered to the Moon by Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander, LuGRE has successfully demonstrated the ability to use Earth’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals on the Moon. This achievement provides future explorers with the tools necessary to navigate the lunar surface with a level of accuracy previously unattainable. By acquiring and tracking GNSS signals, LuGRE allows for precise positioning, navigation, and timing information, essential for prolonged lunar missions.

LuGRE’s success in acquiring signals from both the GPS and Galileo constellations, even at a staggering distance of 225,000 miles, underscores its effectiveness. This technology represents a pivotal advancement, paving the way for more sophisticated navigation systems that can operate beyond Earth. The triumph of LuGRE not only enhances our understanding of lunar navigation but also opens up new possibilities for missions that extend deeper into our solar system.

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Breaking Records in Cislunar Space

The achievements of LuGRE extend beyond the lunar surface, as it has set new records in cislunar space. During its mission, LuGRE managed to acquire GNSS signals at unprecedented altitudes, first breaking the record at 209,900 miles from Earth and later extending it to 243,000 miles upon reaching lunar orbit. These milestones highlight the capability of GNSS technology to function effectively in the region between Earth and the Moon, demonstrating a viable method for navigation in cislunar space.

This capability is crucial for reducing dependency on traditional tracking methods, which rely heavily on human intervention and Earth-based stations. By integrating GNSS data into spacecraft navigation systems, missions can achieve a greater degree of autonomy, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. This advancement is particularly significant for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to conduct extensive lunar exploration and lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars.

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Implications for Future Space Missions

The successful application of GNSS signals for lunar navigation has profound implications for the future of space exploration. By enabling autonomous navigation, spacecraft can operate more independently, determining their own location, speed, and time without the need for constant communication with Earth. This capability not only enhances the efficiency of lunar missions but also serves as a crucial technology for interplanetary travel, such as missions to Mars.

As NASA and other space agencies continue to push the boundaries of exploration, the integration of GNSS technology represents a significant leap forward. It offers a robust solution for navigating the vast expanses of space, reducing reliance on Earth-based tracking systems, and enabling more complex and longer-duration missions. The advancements demonstrated by LuGRE and the Blue Ghost lander are a testament to the innovative spirit driving humanity’s quest to explore the cosmos.

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Collaborative Efforts in Space Exploration

The success of the LuGRE mission exemplifies the power of international collaboration in advancing space exploration. Developed jointly by NASA and the Italian Space Agency, LuGRE showcases how partnerships can lead to technological breakthroughs that benefit the global scientific community. By pooling resources, expertise, and knowledge, these collaborations enhance the scope and impact of space missions, fostering innovation and progress.

As space exploration becomes increasingly ambitious, international cooperation will play a crucial role in overcoming challenges and achieving shared goals. The achievements of the LuGRE mission serve as a model for future collaborative efforts, encouraging nations to work together in the pursuit of discovery and exploration beyond our planet. This spirit of cooperation not only accelerates technological advancements but also strengthens the bonds between countries, united by a common vision of exploring the final frontier.

With the integration of Earth’s GPS on the lunar surface and the successful demonstration of GNSS technology, what new horizons will space exploration reach next? The potential for autonomous navigation opens up endless possibilities for future missions, challenging us to imagine the next steps in our journey through the cosmos.

The post Earth GPS now linked to the Moon – This unprecedented NASA breakthrough is rewriting space navigation appeared first on Sustainability Times.

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Taking the electronic pulse of the circular economy

Taking the electronic pulse of the circular economy

31 Jul, 2025

In June, I had the privilege of attending the 2025 E-Waste World, Battery Recycling, Metal Recycling, and ITAD & Circular Electronics Conference & Expo events in Frankfurt, Germany.

Speaking in the ITAD & Circular Electronics track on a panel with global Circular Economy leaders from Foxway Group, ERI and HP, we explored the evolving role of IT asset disposition (ITAD) and opportunities in the circular electronics economy.

The event’s focus on advancing circular economy goals and reducing environmental impact delivered a series of insights and learnings. From this assembly of international expertise across 75+ countries, here are some points from the presentations that stood out for me:

1. Environmental impact of the digital economy

Digitalisation has a heavy material footprint in the production phase, and lifecycle thinking needs to guide every product decision. Consider that 81% of the energy a laptop uses in its lifetime is consumed during manufacture (1 tonne in manufacture is equal to 10,000 tonnes of CO2) and laptops are typically refreshed or replaced by companies every 3–4 years.

From 2018 to 2023, the average number of devices and connections per capita in the world increased by 50% (2.4 to 3.6). In North America (8.2 to 13.4) and Western Europe (5.6 to 9.4), this almost doubled. In 1960, only 10 periodic table elements were used to make phones. In 1990, 27 elements were used and now over 60 elements are used to build the smartphones that we have become so reliant on.

A key challenge is that low-carbon and digital technologies largely compete for the same minerals. Material resource extraction could increase 60% between 2020 and 2060, while demand for lithium, cobalt and graphite is expected to rise by 500% until 2050.

High growth in ICT demand and Internet requires more attention to the environmental footprint of the digital economy. Energy consumption of data centres is expected to more than double by 2026. The electronics industry accounts for over 4% of global GHG — and digitalisation-related waste is growing, with skewed impacts on developing countries.

E-waste is rising five times faster than recycling — 1 tonne of e-waste has a carbon footprint of 2 tonnes. Today’s solution? ‘Bury it or burn it.’ In terms of spent emissions, waste and the costs associated with end-of-life liabilities, PCBAs (printed circuit board assembly) cost us enormously — they generally achieve 3–5% recyclability (75% of CO2 in PCBAs is from components).

2. Regulating circularity in electronics

There is good momentum across jurisdictions in right-to-repair, design and labelling regulations; recycling targets; and voluntary frameworks on circularity and eco-design.

The EU is at the forefront. EU legislation is lifting the ICT aftermarket, providing new opportunities for IT asset disposition (ITAD) businesses. To get a sense, the global market for electronics recycling is estimated to grow from $37 billion to $108 billion (2022–2030). The value of refurbished electronics is estimated to increase from $85.9 billion to $262.2 billion (2022–2032). Strikingly, 40% of companies do not have a formal ITAD strategy in place.

Significantly, the EU is rethinking its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management targets, aligned with upcoming circularity and WEEE legislation, as part of efforts to foster the circular economy. A more robust and realistic circularity-driven approach to setting collection targets would better reflect various factors including long lifespans of electronic products and market fluctuations.

Australia and New Zealand lag the EU’s comprehensive e-waste mandated frameworks. The lack of a systematic approach results in environmental degradation and missed positioning opportunities for businesses in the circular economy. While Australia’s Senate inquiry into waste reduction and recycling recommended legislating a full circular economy framework — including for imported and local product design, financial incentives and regulatory enforcement, New Zealand remains the only OECD country without a national scheme to manage e-waste.

3. Extending product lifecycles

Along with data security and digital tools, reuse was a key theme in the ITAD & Circular Electronics track of the conference. The sustainable tech company that I lead, Greenbox, recognises that reuse is the simplest circular strategy. Devices that are still functional undergo refurbishment and are reintroduced into the market, reducing new production need and conserving valuable resources.

Conference presenters highlighted how repair over replacement is being legislated as a right in jurisdictions around the world. Resources are saved, costs are lowered, product life is extended, and people and organisations are empowered to support a greener future. It was pointed out that just 43% of countries have recycling policies, 17% of global waste is formally recycled, and less than 1% of global e-waste is formally repaired and reused.

Right to repair is a rising wave in the circular economy, and legislation is one way that civil society is pushing back on programmed obsolescence. Its global momentum continues at different speeds for different product categories — from the recent EU mandates to multiple US state bills (and some laws) through to repair and reuse steps in India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Commission has done a scoping study to identify product groups under the Ecodesign framework that would be most relevant for implementing an EU-wide product reparability scoring system.

Attending this event with the entire electronic waste recycling supply chain — from peers and partners to suppliers and customers — underscored the importance of sharing best practices to address the environmental challenges that increased hardware proliferation and complex related issues are having on the world.

Ross Thompson is Group CEO of sustainability, data management and technology asset lifecycle management market leader Greenbox. With facilities in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Greenbox Group provides customers all over the world a carbon-neutral supply chain for IT equipment to reduce their carbon footprint by actively managing their environmental, social and governance obligations.

Image credit: iStock.com/Mustafa Ovec

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