Nokia has announced that, in collaboration with NASA and Intuitive Machines, it is developing a 4G internet service to send to the Moon on an upcoming space mission. The project, which aims to pave the way for future lunar discoveries and create opportunities for a human presence on the Moon and beyond, could significantly improve communications during future human missions to the Moon and Mars.

4G on the moon

We have been hearing about it since 2020, when Nokia was selected for the theme. More details now appear.

Nokia’s 4G technology, designed to withstand the harsh conditions of space, is expected to be deployed during Intuitive Machines’ next mission, scheduled to launch in November aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Intuitive’s Nova-C mooncraft Machines will carry the system and other equipment to our natural satellite, taking Nokia’s 4G communications system to its final destination at Shackleton Crater in the southern region of the Moon, CNBC reports.

Nokia, together with Lunar Outpost and Intuitive Machines, created 4G technology, which is capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of space. The technology demonstration could lay the groundwork for its use during future crewed Artemis missions to the Moon. The current plan is for NASA to land two astronauts on the lunar surface in 2025, which will mark the first time astronauts have walked on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

An important step for space exploration

The collaboration between Nokia, NASA and Intuitive Machines is an important step for space exploration. Communication technology in space is crucial to maintaining a sustainable human presence on the Moon and Mars in the future, and the deployment of 4G technology on the Moon is an important milestone in this regard. Just like on Earth, connectivity and communications are critical to the success of any operation, and Nokia has demonstrated its ability to adapt its technology to the rigors of space.

Thierry Klein, head of Nokia Bell Labs’ enterprise and industrial automation research lab, said in a press release that the 4G network “will have a major impact on future manned missions to the Moon and beyond, and will validate that cellular technologies they can be adapted to the critical needs of space communications.” Instead of reinventing the wheel by creating a proprietary network in space, we are leveraging the same technology that profitably connects billions of devices on Earth.”

An opportunity to find lunar ice

In addition to improving space communications, the project by Nokia and its collaborators could help in the search for lunar ice. Although the Moon’s surface is dry, unmanned missions have detected remnants of ice in some of the most protected craters on the Moon. Finding ice on the Moon could provide a source of breathable oxygen for astronauts, drinking water, and rocket fuel.

The success of the mission by Nokia and its partners could open the door to future space exploration projects in which connectivity and communications are essential for the success of the mission. Undoubtedly, the collaboration between private companies and NASA can result in more innovative and profitable projects in the field of space exploration.

What is clear is that many people on Earth still do not have decent access to the Internet, so it would be necessary to put on the table where the priorities are in this world.