From Earth to Moon: Nokia’s 4G Network Expands into Outer Space

Later this year, Nokia is preparing to boldly go where no telecom company has gone before, launching a 4G mobile network on the moon. The Finnish company aims to enhance lunar discoveries and potentially lay the groundwork for human presence on the satellite. Some may joke about needing better reception on the moon, but it seems Nokia is taking lunar connectivity to new heights.

Luis Maestro Ruiz De Temino, Nokia’s principal engineer, revealed this ambitious plan at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona earlier this month. So, while people on Earth still grapple with patchy mobile coverage, lunar inhabitants may soon enjoy uninterrupted 4G service – talk about out-of-this-world connections!

In the coming months, Nokia’s lunar network will hitch a ride on a SpaceX rocket. Comprising an antenna-equipped base station housed in a Nova-C lunar lander designed by US space firm Intuitive Machines, the network will also include a solar-powered rover. An LTE connection will be established between the lander and the rover, both of which will touch down on the Shackleton crater near the moon’s southern limb.

Designed to withstand the harsh, otherworldly conditions, Nokia’s network will play a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, which aims to send astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. The mission intends to demonstrate that terrestrial networks can meet the communication needs of future space missions – and perhaps give astronauts a chance to make the first interstellar social media posts.

Nokia’s network will enable astronauts to communicate with one another and with mission control, control the rover remotely, and stream real-time video and telemetry data back to Earth. If all goes well, the moon might become a prime destination for binge-watching the latest series or even playing multiplayer video games with a truly cosmic view.

In addition to the obvious communication benefits, one of Nokia’s goals for its lunar network is to find ice on the moon. Though most of the lunar surface is dry, recent unmanned missions have discovered remnants of ice trapped in sheltered craters around the poles. With Nokia’s help, future lunar inhabitants might enjoy not only 4G service but also a cold glass of water – all thanks to lunar ice.

All jokes aside, this ambitious project is an exciting development in space exploration, and while 4G connectivity might sound far-fetched on the moon, it’s another giant leap toward establishing a human presence on our nearest celestial neighbour.