Nokia has plans to introduce 4G LTE services on the moon as operators continue to roll out 5G services and upgrade older networks here on Earth.
Getting ready to go far!
According to a CNBC report, Nokia is getting ready to start a 4G network on the moon later this year to improve lunar communication. It is a component of NASA’s Artemis mission, an effort to land people on the moon.
In this case, Nokia refers to a Finnish telco company rather than the company that produces Android phones, which is HMD Global. The 4G network will be introduced in the upcoming months using a SpaceX rocket, according to Nokia’s chief engineer Luis Maestro Ruiz De Temino.
The Nova-C lunar lander, which will have an antenna-equipped base station to make the connection, will be created by the American company Intuitive Machines. Along with the lander, a solar-powered rover will be attached, and an LTE link will be made between the two.
Nokia to launch 4G internet services on the moon for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission
A Plethora of Opportunities
The Shackleton crater at the lunar South Pole is where the 4G infrastructure will land. The rims of this crater are said to be exposed to continuous sunlight, which will assist the rover in drawing electricity. Nokia makes sure that its 4G technology is built to endure the harsh conditions of space, according to CNBC, given the moon’s extremely thin atmosphere.
Nokia also thinks the network opens up a lot of opportunities for future space missions because it creates connections that make it easier for astronauts to interact with one another. According to the firm, it will also make it possible for the rover to be controlled remotely, stream real-time video, and send telemetry data back to Earth.
Since being chosen (opens in new browser) by NASA in 2020, Nokia has been constructing the first-ever cellular network. By providing a network that will enable crucial communication skills that are “vital to long-term human presence on the lunar surface,” Nokia, according to the statement, will be a crucial part of NASA’s Artemis programme. The debut of Nokia’s 4G network on the moon appears to be on track, closely following Amazon’s attempt to take Alexa there last year.
