Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Nokia is working on a LTE/4G communications system for lunar exploration, with plans for deployment on the moon’s surface as early as this year.
The first piece of Nokia’s lunar network will be part of Intuitive Machine’s IM-2 mission, set to land at the moon’s south pole later this year.
Nokia’s lunar communications equipment, described as a “network in a box,” aims to connect various lunar vehicles, including landers and rovers, to enable communication over near and far distances.
Thierry Klein of Nokia emphasizes the importance of communications in future lunar and Mars missions, likening it to essential life support systems.
Rather than developing entirely new technology, Nokia is repurposing its existing hardware for the lunar environment, leveraging proven technologies used on Earth.
Nokia’s 4G/LTE lunar network promises increased bandwidth compared to traditional space communication systems, facilitating faster communication among astronauts and autonomous robotic systems.
Klein highlights the economic benefits of using a shared communications infrastructure on the moon, envisioning multiple missions and bases interconnected through the same network.
Some radio astronomers express concerns about potential radio frequency interference (RFI) from the lunar cell network, which could disrupt radio observations.
Operators like Nokia could potentially mitigate interference by protecting certain frequencies, ensuring compatibility with radio observatories’ operations.