(Newswire.net— October 22, 2020) — The American space agency NASA has chosen Nokia as a partner in setting up a communication system on the Moon, as one of the preconditions for a sustainable human presence on Earth’s natural satellite, the Finnish company announced.
Under a contract with NASA, Nokia will build the first 4G communications system in space by 2022, opening the door to a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.
Business Insider reports that NASA granted Nokia $14.1 million to build a 4G network on the moon. The network will be adapted to the moon’s unique climate and will be able to withstand extreme temperatures, radiation, and even rocket landings and launches, which vibrate the moon’s surface, the Business Insider reports.
The goal of NASA’s mission is to “bring” people back to the moon by 2024 and to build a long-term human presence and settlements as part of the Artemis program.
Nokia Bell Labs is working with US company Intuitive Machines to integrate this revolutionary technology into its lunar spacecraft.
“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,” said Marcus Weldon, Chief Technology Officer at Nokia, and Nokia Bell Labs President.
“Reliable, resilient, and high-capacity communications networks will be the 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,” Weldon added in a statement.
The network will self-configure after delivery and establish the first LTE communication system on the Moon, the statement said.
The network is expected to provide key communication capabilities for many types of data transmission, including management and control, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation, and high-definition video transmission.