Nokia to build first mobile network on the moon for NASA

Finnish telecommunications equipment maker Nokia on Monday said it had been picked by US space agency NASA to build the first mobile network on the moon.

The LTE/4G technology would be used as part of NASA's Artemis programme, which aims to establish a long-term human presence on the moon by the end of the decade, Nokia said.

Nokia said it was partnering with US company Intuitive Machines and planned to integrate the network into their lunar lander. The technology would be deployed late in 2022.

The network was to provide data transmission for "command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high definition video," Nokia said.

First woman landing by 2024

Under the Artemis programme, NASA plans to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. The knowledge gleaned will be used for the next giant leap – to send astronauts to Mars.

"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.