NASA and Nokia have achieved the establishment of the world’s first-ever mobile network on the Moon, a landmark moment in lunar research. The first-of-a-kind network, named the Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS), will be used to establish reliable communication on the Moon’s surface and enable high-definition streaming, telemetry data exchange, and real-time communications for upcoming missions to the Moon.
The LSCS runs on 4G LTE technology like cell networks here on Earth but uses it in a way specifically capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of the Moon. Unlike the bulky satellite communication systems employed for use in space, this “network in a box” is constructed to be resistant to extreme temperatures, radiation, and the violent shaking that occurs during rocket launches and lunar landings.
Two of the primary robotic explorers to try out the new lunar network are Intuitive Machines’ Micro-Nova Hopper and Lunar Outpost’s Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover. The Micro-Nova Hopper is a light lander that is dedicated to rapid lunar exploration, while the MAPP rover is intended for resource discovery and terrain mapping. Both vehicles feature Nokia’s communication modules, which enable them to transmit and receive data in real time, demonstrating the feasibility of the system for future lunar missions.
Though the first deployment is brief, for a matter of days, since the lunar night is coming up, this mission is a demonstration of the capabilities of a sustainable lunar communications system. Nokia’s innovation will have a critical role to play in NASA’s Artemis program which is seeking to send humans to the Moon by 2027. Under long-term plans for a permanent base on the Moon, Nokia’s technology will one day add 5G connectivity and allow astronauts to communicate more efficiently, and even incorporate communications systems onto their spacesuits.
Although this technological breakthrough has generated a lot of excitement, there have been some apprehensions expressed by the scientific community, especially radio astronomers. Nokia’s network operates on frequencies similar to those utilized in radio astronomy, which might disrupt observations of galaxies far away. Nokia, however, was granted a special waiver for the IM-2 mission, and subsequent deployments will have to mitigate these possible interferences to prevent long-term interference.
This historic breakthrough is not only an advancement for exploring the Moon but also a key trial for interplanetary communication technologies to come, with the potential to pave the way for space communications infrastructure beyond the Moon.
