27 views
4G on the Moon: One Small Leap, One Giant Step
Standing up a 4G/LTE network might seem well below the pay grade of a legendary innovation hub like Nokia Bell Labs. However, standing up that same network on the moon is another matter.
Nokia and 13 other companies — including SpaceX and Lockheed-Martin — have won five-year contracts totaling over US$ 370 million from NASA to demonstrate key infrastructure technologies on the lunar surface. All of which is part of NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the moon.
NASA also wants the moon to be a stepping stone for further explorations in the solar system, beginning with Mars.
For that, says L.K. Kubendran, lead for commercial space technology partnerships, a lunar outpost would need, at the very least, power, shelter, and a way to communicate.
And the moon’s 4G network will not only be carrying voice and data signals like those found in terrestrial applications, it’ll also be handling remote operations...
Nokia and 13 other companies — including SpaceX and Lockheed-Martin — have won five-year contracts totaling over US$ 370 million from NASA to demonstrate key infrastructure technologies on the lunar surface. All of which is part of NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the moon.
NASA also wants the moon to be a stepping stone for further explorations in the solar system, beginning with Mars.
For that, says L.K. Kubendran, lead for commercial space technology partnerships, a lunar outpost would need, at the very least, power, shelter, and a way to communicate.
And the moon’s 4G network will not only be carrying voice and data signals like those found in terrestrial applications, it’ll also be handling remote operations...
