Nokia Selected By NASA To Build 4G Network On Moon

(RTTNews) - Nokia Corp. (NOK) Monday announced that NASA has selected the Finnish company as a partner to deploy the first LTE/4G communications system on Moon.

Nokia Bell Labs will be used to build and deploy the first ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened, end-to-end LTE solution on the lunar surface in late 2022.

Nokia is partnering with Intuitive Machines for this mission to integrate the network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.

The network will provide critical communication capabilities for many different data transmission applications, including vital command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video.

Chief Technology Officer Marcus Weldon said, "Leveraging our rich and successful history in space technologies, from pioneering satellite communication to discovering the cosmic microwave background radiation produced by the Big Bang, we are now building the first ever cellular communications network on the Moon. 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."