Nokia Oyj : Selected by NASA to Build First Cellular Network on the Moon

By Dominic Chopping

Nokia Corp. said Monday that it has been selected by NASA to build the first cellular network on the moon.

The network equipment vendor said it will build and deploy an ultra-compact, low-power, space-hardened network on the lunar surface in late 2022.

Nokia is partnering with Intuitive Machines LLC to integrate the network into a lunar lander and deliver it to the moon.

The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish itself, which will provide communication capabilities for data transmission applications including command and control functions, remote control of lunar rovers, real-time navigation and streaming of high-definition video.

The network will comprise fourth-generation cellular technology and will be a component for NASA's Artemis program, which plans to establish a sustainable presence on the moon by the end of the decade in preparation for an expedition to Mars, Nokia said.

Write to Dominic Chopping at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-19-20 0534ET