Nokia reaches for the Moon

Under the partnership, Nokia will equip Axiom Space's Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuits with high-speed cellular network capabilities. This integration will support transmitting high-definition video, telemetry data and voice communications over multiple kilometres on the lunar surface, enabling real-time interaction between astronauts and mission controllers on Earth.

“Adding high-speed 4G/LTE network capability on the Moon will serve as a vital bridge linking astronauts to Earth, facilitating crucial data exchange and enabling high-definition video communication over long distances,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space's executive vice president of extravehicular activity.

The project adds to Nokia’s plans to deploy the first cellular network on the Moon. In 2020, the Finnish telecommunications giant was selected for NASA’s Tipping Point initiative, which fosters the development of commercial space capabilities to benefit future missions. Now Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), developed by its research unit, Nokia Bell Labs, is set for deployment on the Moon during Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission in late 2024.

The LSCS, designed to operate autonomously, consists of a network-in-a-box that combines a terrestrial cellular network's radio, base station and core elements into a single unit, and device modules engineered for the AxEMU spacesuits. These components are optimised for the harsh conditions of space, including extreme temperatures and the dynamic stresses of spaceflight.

Thierry E. Klein, president of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia, emphasised the importance of this technology for future space missions.

“Just as astronauts will need life support, shelter and food, they will need advanced networks to communicate with each other and go about their crucial work,” Klein said.” We are leveraging the same technologies that connect billions of devices on Earth to address the unique challenges of space.”

A long tradition of innovation

Nokia bringing connectivity to the Moon will be just one of its groundbreaking achievements in 2024. In July, the company made the world’s first cellular call using the immersive voice and audio services (IVAS) codec technology. Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark celebrated the call as demonstrating “the future of voice calls”.

The company has also left a large footprint on the Finnish tech industry on the whole. Its alumni have created various innovations, such as customised lighting scenes, active noise-cancelling earbuds, and VR products that offer human-eye resolution.