NASA taps Nokia to deploy first-ever 4G/LTE network on Moon

For this mission, Nokia is collaborating with Houston-based Intuitive Machines to integrate this network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. According to Nokia, the network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.

Finnish telecom company Nokia said Monday that it has been tapped by NASA to build and deploy the first-ever 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) communications network on the Moon which will be a crucial component for the US space agency's Artemis program.

Under the partnership, Nokia Bell Labs, the research and development arm of Nokia will deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022, supporting NASA's plans to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface by the end of the decade.

From enabling voice and video communications capabilities to controlling robotic and sensor payloads, the LTE/4G technology promises to revolutionize lunar surface communications by delivering reliable, high data rates while containing power, size and cost. vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

"Reliable, resilient and high-capacity communications networks will be key to supporting sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. By building the first high-performance wireless network solution on the Moon, Nokia Bell Labs is once again planting the flag for pioneering innovation beyond the conventional limits," said Marcus Weldon, Chief Technology Officer at Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs President.

For this mission, Nokia is collaborating with Houston-based Intuitive Machines to integrate this network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. According to Nokia, the network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.

The company's lunar network consists of an LTE Base Station with integrated Evolved Packet Core (EPC) functionalities, LTE User Equipment, RF antennas and high-reliability operations and maintenance (O&M) control software. The solution has the capability to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing and to operate in the extreme conditions of space.

The public-private partnerships have been established via Tipping Point selections that combine NASA resources with industry contributions, shepherding the development of critical space technologies.