Nokia is preparing to send 4G technology to the Moon. During an upcoming space mission, potentially paving the way for more lunar discoveries and human presence on Earth’s natural satellite. The system will be deployed during Intuitive Machines’s IM-2 mission, scheduled to launch in November aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This project could set the stage for future crewed Artemis missions to the Moon. Here are the details…
Nokia’s Bold Leap: Bringing 4G Internet to the Moon
Nokia has partnered with Lunar Outpost and Intuitive Machines to develop a 4G communications system specifically designed to withstand the harsh conditions in space. The Nova-C lunar lander, developed by Intuitive Machines, will transport the system and other payloads to the Moon, with the ultimate destination being the Shackleton crater in the southern lunar region. This tech demonstration could become a crucial component of future crewed Artemis missions, with NASA planning to land two astronauts on the lunar surface in 2025.
In 2020, NASA selected Nokia for this ambitious project, granting its Bell Labs $14.1 million in funding. The company plans to test the lander’s short and long-range communication capabilities at various proximities, ranging from a few hundred meters to between two and three kilometers away. This network will be vital for sustaining human presence on both the Moon and Mars, according to Nokia.
Nokia envisions astronauts using the 4G internet during the Artemis 3 mission for enhanced voice and video communications capabilities, telemetry and biometric data exchange, sensing applications, and controlling robotics. Thierry Klein, head of the enterprise and industrial automation research lab at Nokia Bell Labs, emphasizes the importance of providing astronauts with the same access to technology in space as they have on Earth.
One of the company’s key goals is to assist in further explorations and experiments aimed at finding ice on the Moon. Such a discovery could provide breathable oxygen for astronauts, drinkable water, and rocket fuel. Previous uncrewed missions have indicated the presence of ice in some of the Moon’s sheltered craters.
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