Nokia field tests mobile network for the moon

 Nokia conducted a major field test of the 4G LTE lunar network it will provide to NASA.  The tests were conducted at the Southern Colorado Autonomous Test Facility in partnership with Intuitive Machines and Lunar Outpost.

• In October 2020, NASA selected Nokia to deploy the first LTE/4G communications system on the lunar surface. Nokia’s lunar network consists of an LTE Base Station with integrated Evolved Packet Core (EPC) functionalities, LTE User Equipment, RF antennas and high-reliability operations and maintenance (O&M) control software. The solution has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space. The fully integrated cellular network meets very stringent size, weight and power constraints of space payloads in an extremely compact form factor. Nokia is partnering with Intuitive Machines for this mission to integrate this groundbreaking network into their lunar lander and deliver it to the lunar surface. The network will self-configure upon deployment and establish the first LTE communications system on the Moon.