The NASA Artemis 3 mission will include landing humans on the Moon and using Nokia’s 4G mobile network technology for communication among crew members.
When the Artemis 3 mission successfully lands on the Moon, the first astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface since the Apollo era will experience something their predecessors could not: mobile network technology.
Model of a rover with Nokia 4G/LTE network transmission antenna on the Moon (Photo: Nokia/Intuitive Machines).
It is known that the astronauts of Artemis 3 will wear special suits designed in collaboration between Axiom Space and Nokia, highlighted by the 4G/LTE connectivity equipment. This type of mobile network is currently used by most telecommunications providers worldwide.
This technology will allow astronauts to use mobile networks for tasks such as communication and live-streaming high-definition videos. Although the connection method is similar, the 4G infrastructure on the Moon will differ slightly.
On Earth, mobile networks consist of a network of base stations, including mobile towers scattered throughout. However, this model would be difficult to apply on the Moon.
Instead, Nokia’s proposed idea involves compressing all base station equipment into a single box that can fit onto the lander. When the spacecraft lands on the Moon, this “mini-station” will be quickly established and provide 4G coverage within approximately a 2km radius.
4G station with a coverage radius of up to 2km will be deployed on the Moon (Photo: NASA).
The astronaut suit named AxEMU will then be able to connect with the base station. Thanks to this connection, they can stream high-definition video or transmit large amounts of scientific data back to the base station. This data will be sent back to Earth for research purposes.
“Essentially, the main components of a smartphone will be integrated into the astronaut suit,” said Russell Ralston, Vice President of Axiom Space. “It will be adapted to suit the space environment and NASA’s requirements.”
Before the implementation of 4G, space missions primarily relied on ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio waves for communication.
To date, UHF has continued to operate well. However, 4G technology, with its superior features such as high bandwidth and fast data transmission rates, will provide valuable improvements for space exploration activities.
Seeing potential in this field, Nokia has been collaborating on research to develop technology for space applications for several years, with funding of up to $14.1 million from NASA.
The planned Moon 4G network, called the Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS), is set for its first test later this year when the IM-2 mission by Intuitive Machines lands near the Moon’s south pole.
The IM-2 lander will carry the base station, while two payloads of IM-2, including the Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) and the Micro-Nova drone, will carry the 4G receivers.
