Sidus Space plans to develop six satellites for Lonestar Data Holdings, which would store data in lunar orbit.

The satellite designer will manage the design, payload integration, planning, and on-orbit support for the LizzieSat satellites.

“This award by Lonestar demonstrates Sidus’ ability to scale our LizzieSat platform to meet the constellation manufacturing and operational needs of diverse customers,” said Carol Craig, CEO of Sidus Space.

“Our flexible and adaptable approach to satellite design allows us to support unique and mission-critical requirements, making Sidus an ideal partner for organizations seeking resilient, cost-effective solutions for their space-based data and infrastructure needs.

Alongside the satellites, Lonestar plans to eventually deploy data centers in lunar caves. Earlier this year, it successfully tested data storage on the Moon's surface using Intuitive Machines' lunar lander mission IM-1.

But IM-1 landed on its side, and Lonestar's test only used the lander's internal hardware, so was just a first step.

A follow-up mission, IM-2, will feature an 8TB SSD and a single Microchip PolaFire SoC FPGA for Lonestar's own use.

That mission has been repeatedly delayed, but is currently set for January 2025.

Following that launch, Lonestar envisions deploying much larger data centers on the Moon as off-planet disaster recovery, hiding in lava tubes to avoid the vicissitudes of space. Such a plan still requires significant scientific advancements, as well as deep pockets.

“This agreement [with Sidus] represents a significant step forward in our vision for premium data storage and resiliency-as-a-service from space,” said Chris Stott, Lonestar founder and CEO.

"Sidus’ unique AI capability, along with its vertical integration expertise in mission-critical satellite operations, makes them an ideal partner to deliver on our commitment to secure, resilient storage solutions beyond Earth and especially as we build out our growing footprint here in Florida."