Lonestar + Phison: Revolutionizing Lunar Data Management

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Courtesy of NASA

In an unprecedented leap forward for space technology, Phison has joined forces with Lonestar Data Holdings to achieve a groundbreaking feat—putting the first-ever physical data center on the surface of the moon. Featuring Phison’s Pascari enterprise SSD for data storage, Lonestar’s fully assembled lunar data center, named Freedom, will be integrated with Intuitive Machines’ moon lander Athena and will launch February 26, 2025, using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Once the data center is situated on the moon’s surface, it will be powered by the sun. 

Phison’s expertise in enterprise storage solutions makes Pascari enterprise SSDs the perfect fit for this history-making endeavor. Engineered for unparalleled quality, resilience and durability, Pascari enterprise SSDs can endure the extreme conditions of space and perform flawlessly despite harsh temperature fluctuations and cosmic radiation. They are designed to meet even the most demanding edge processing applications on earth—and the moon.  

With this partnership, Lonestar and Phison are pushing the boundaries of data storage and management beyond Earth’s atmosphere and demonstrating the exciting possibilities of near-future computing.  

Freedom: A data center like no other

Freedom represents a bold step forward in space-based data solutions. Constructed for Lonestar by SpaceBilt, the lunar data center is built for longevity and peak performance. Edge processing capabilities are provided by field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) from MicroChip Polarfire. Key innovations include: 

• • • Solar-powered design – The fully self-sustaining system uses natural cooling for minimal resource dependency without compromising peak operational performance.
    • Revolutionary architecture – The center features a 3D-printed exterior crafted by renowned architects Bjarke Ingels and Martin Voelkle of BIG.
    • Sustainable engineering – The robust, space-optimized design uses cutting-edge.

Lonestar is a data center company that uses space to meet the needs of its terrestrial customers around the world. The entire project is market- and customer-led. The Freedom mission represents the confluence of 60 years’ sunk investment in cutting-edge information technology and the space program.  

The mission is also an ambitious step toward the idea of preventing another disaster like the destruction of the Library of Alexandria in 48 BCE, said Chris Stott, founder and CEO of Lonestar.  “We still talk about a data loss so bad that occurred 2000 years ago,” he said.  

Opening up the lunar surface for data storage means that the most important data across the world could be safeguarded for prosperity against terrestrial disasters and upheavals out of our control beyond issues of sovereignty and physical security.  

A closer look at Freedom’s advanced capabilities

The Freedom data center will build on the earlier success of Independence, Lonestar’s first payload and the world’s first commercially operated lunar software-defined data center. While Independence used on-board software to receive transmissions of data from an Earthbound data center, Freedom is the first mission that will feature lunar-based hardware to store data. It is designed with a focus on disaster recovery and data storage rather than latency-dependent applications.  

The data center will offer high-performance resiliency, disaster recovery and advanced edge processing solutions tailored for top-tier government and enterprise clients. Its pioneering projects will include: 

• • • Knowledge graphs from Valkyrie Intelligence, utilizing data from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
    • Solar system internet project with internet pioneer Vint Cerf, which will test and establish interplanetary connectivity using a new delay-tolerant network. 
    • Active vigilance radiation predictive software, which will help enhance mission safety through predictive analysis of radiation impacts.
    • Additional commercial applications under non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), showcasing Freedom’s versatility.  

How Pascari enterprise SSDs will enable Freedom’s mission success

Phison’s Pascari enterprise SSDs form the backbone of Freedom’s mission and deliver reliability beyond the confines of the earth. They will help ensure: 

• • • Uninterrupted data integrity with seamless performance in extreme lunar conditions.
    • Durability and longevity to support massive read/write cycles for intensive edge computing tasks.
    • Unmatched resilience against cosmic radiation, thanks to shielding that allows them to maintain data integrity in deep-space conditions.
    • Optimal operations despite severe lunar thermal fluctuations and the vibrations, g-forces and impacts of rocket launch and lunar landing.

Early on in the Freedom project, a partner of Lonestar recommended Phison to Stott and his team as a storage solution, and Stott was intrigued when he learned Phison SSDs were already in use off-planet. After looking further into the company, Stott was convinced Phison was the right partner for data storage.

“Phison SSDs are used on the International Space Station, both internally and externally,” said Stott. “They’ve operated in the vacuum of space and flown to Mars and continue to operate there. What was thought would be months on Mars has turned into years—in one of the harshest environments known to humanity. That quality and resiliency is what we look for, that space qualification.” 

Michael Wu, president and general manager (US) at Phison, agreed that the partnership was a natural fit. “With IMAGIN+ capabilities, Phison Pascari SSDs are purpose-built for demanding and harsh environments like going to the moon,” he said. “This is extremely critical for the Freedom lunar data center mission. Pascari SSDs offer top-tier performance, unmatched reliability and high endurance—exactly what Freedom needed.” 

Through this partnership, Phison empowers Freedom to redefine the future of space-based computing and disaster recovery solutions. 

 (Click to read the press release)

A shared vision for resilient, innovative data solutions in space

The Freedom mission represents more than just a technological achievement—it signifies a paradigm shift in space-based data processing and storage and a giant step into the future of interplanetary operations.  

The collaboration between Lonestar and Phison is a major milestone. By demonstrating how robust storage solutions can enable interplanetary mission, it serves as a proof of concept for space-ready SSD technology and helps pave the way for next-generation applications in future lunar and interstellar missions. It also paves the way for innovations in advanced data management on moon-based data centers and beyond.  

The mission also paved the way for Phison innovation. “Designing an SSD to go to the moon means thinking about solving for conditions that we don’t even experience—things like extreme temperature swings, radiation exposure and operation in a vacuum,” Wu said. “Our engineering team had to think outside of the box to develop thermal solutions to manage the harsh conditions, shielding to protect against radiation. These are cutting-edge technologies that require a lot of creativity, collaboration and testing with our partners to ensure the SSDs perform flawlessly on the lunar surface.” 

That creativity and ability to innovate were part of what drew Lonestar to Phison. “The vision at Phison matches our vision. This idea that anywhere humanity goes, digital data goes—and storage is critical to that,” Stott said. “This is a whole new market application, a whole new industry in space that supports perfectly what’s happening on Earth. Phison’s Pascari enterprise SSD is at the heart of all we do—and plan to do, too. It’s a whole new world out there and up there, thanks to Phison.”  

Freedom by the numbers:

• • • Speed of rocket after launch – 22,600 mph (36,371 km/h)
    • Miles traveled by Freedom to reach the moon’s surface – About 238,855 miles (384,400 km)
    • Days spent in traveling to the moon – 6 days
    • Surface temperature of the moon – Can range from up to 260°F (127°C) during the day down to about -280°F (-173°C) at night
    • Location of landing on moon – Shackleton Crater, Lunar South Pole
    • Weight of Freedom’s payload – 1 kg
    • Years spent by Lonestar preparing for launch day – 4 years

Creating a lunar legacy: The story of Freedom and beyond

The Freedom mission represents a complex and impressive engineering feat—but it’s also much more than that. It embodies the human spirit of exploration, innovation and courage in the face of uncharted and unknown challenges. Lonestar’s Freedom payload is poised to set new benchmarks in data management and storage. From its fully functional solar-powered design to its pioneering edge processing applications, Freedom is already redefining the future course of lunar operations.  

“Freedom is a very good stepping stone for Phison toward the future of space-based data management,” said Wu. “There’s a lot of innovation now on how to build better data storage sustainably for use outside the planet. We focus on creating solutions that meet today’s mission—and we also anticipate the challenges that we’ll face in the future. Whether it’s managing data on Mars or supporting AI at the edge in remote environments, Phison is there. We’re committed to pushing the boundary and making ‘mission impossible’ possible.” 

Stott agrees that Freedom is the start of a new phase in space-based technology. “As we move forward, we’re taking the best technology and innovations the planet has to offer and using them to save the very planet and data where we come from,” he said. “Freedom is the first time we’ve ever stored data intentionally off-planet as a living, breathing backup that we can go to and draw back down when needed. We can look at the moon as an external hard drive for planet Earth.” 

Discover the power behind Freedom

Phison is proud to be part of the Freedom mission and play a significant role in setting the stage for commercial space-based data storage and management. Come discover how Pascari enterprise SSDs will drive this revolutionary lunar mission by providing the durability and reliability that extend far beyond Earth. 

Learn more about Pascari enterprise-grade storage solutions and how Phison is powering the future of space exploration.

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