The inaugural cellular network on the Moon is set to be deployed at the lunar South Pole during the IM-2 mission in late 2024. This groundbreaking project will feature a compact, autonomous 4G/LTE "network in a box" system designed to connect two exploration vehicles: the Lunar Outpost MAPP rover and Intuitive Machines' Micro-Nova hopper12. The system will enable critical functions for lunar exploration, including:

• Command-and-control capabilities

• Telemetry data transmission

• Real-time video streaming

This deployment represents a significant milestone in space communications, demonstrating the adaptability of terrestrial cellular technologies for extraterrestrial applications34.

Nokia is taking lunar communication to the next level by integrating 4G/LTE capabilities into spacesuits for future Moon missions. In partnership with Axiom Space, Nokia Bell Labs is developing advanced communication systems for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuits, which will be used in NASA's Artemis III mission to the Moon's south pole, scheduled for 2026 or later12.

These 4G-enabled spacesuits will revolutionize astronaut communication on the lunar surface, allowing for:

• Real-time HD video transmission

• Voice communication between astronauts

• Telemetry and sensor data feeds

• Command-and-control links to robotic systems

The integration of cellular technology into spacesuits will significantly enhance astronaut productivity and safety, enabling them to operate further from their base while maintaining constant communication3. This innovative approach demonstrates the adaptability of terrestrial cellular technologies for the unique challenges of lunar exploration, paving the way for more advanced space communication systems in the future.

Nokia's lunar communication project is set to evolve beyond the initial 4G/LTE network, with plans to establish a comprehensive lunar communications infrastructure. The company is collaborating with DARPA to design a framework for future lunar economy communications services, aiming to support commercial operations on and around the lunar surface by 20351. This expanded network will enable high-throughput, low-latency communications for various lunar activities, including:

• Transmission of video and telemetry data from cameras and sensors across the Moon

• Integration with spacesuits, vehicles, and scientific experiments

• Control of robots and automation of dangerous tasks on the lunar surface

As lunar missions increase in frequency and complexity, NASA is also developing LunaNet, an architecture that will provide enhanced communications, navigation, and networking capabilities2. This system will allow industry, academia, and international partners to build and operate network nodes alongside NASA, offering services such as networking, navigation, detection and information, and radio/optical science2. The future lunar communication infrastructure is expected to support data capacities comparable to home television and film streaming, with demand predicted to increase steeply after 20283.

Nokia Bell Labs' contributions to space exploration span decades, with groundbreaking innovations that have shaped modern space communications. In 1962, Bell Labs and NASA launched Telstar 1, the world's first active orbiting communications satellite, revolutionizing global communications by enabling live TV broadcasts between Europe and North America12. This 171-pound satellite featured 3,600 solar cells for power and a novel traveling-wave tube for generating radio signals2.

Bell Labs' space legacy extends beyond Telstar. The company provided systems analysis and engineering for every crewed U.S. space program from Mercury to Apollo3. In 1964, Bell Labs researchers Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson made the critical discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation, confirming the Big Bang theory34. These achievements, along with inventions like the transistor and solar cell, have earned Nokia Bell Labs numerous accolades, including 10 Nobel Prizes and five Turing Awards5. Today, Nokia continues this tradition of innovation, developing the first cellular network on the Moon and conducting industry-leading 6G research to further advance space communications5.