Nokia joins hands with Axiom space for Nasa's human mission to moon

Nokia has joined hands with Axiom Space to integrate advanced 4G/LTE communication capabilities into the next-generation spacesuits that will be used for the Artemis III mission, NASA's ambitious plans to land humans at the south pole of the moon.

The Artemis-III mission is likely to be launched in 2026 and Nokia plans to build the first cellular network on the moon, which would be in-built in the space suits used by astronauts.

Nokia and Axiom Space will incorporate high-speed cellular-network capabilities in the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), supporting HD video, telemetry data and voice transmission over multiple kilometers on the Moon, a company statement said.

"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," Russell Ralston, Axiom Space executive vice president of extravehicular activity, said in a statement.

This advancement will enable Artemis III crew members to capture real-time video and communicate with mission controllers on Earth while they explore the lunar surface, it said.

An Indian astronaut, trained for ISRO's Gaganyaan project, is scheduled to fly to the International Space Station next year as part of a NASA Axiom Space Ax-4.

Nokia plans to deploy the cellular network on the Moon as part of Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, which is scheduled to be delivered to the launch site later this year.

During that mission, Nokia aims to demonstrate that cellular connectivity can facilitate crucial communications during future lunar or Mars missions.

The Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), pioneered by Nokia Bell Labs' research and innovation, will be deployed during IM-2 and will be further adapted for use in the AxEMU spacesuit.

"We are taking advantage of the same standards-based technologies that connect billions of devices on Earth every day, while bringing new innovation and technologies to bear on the specific challenges encountered in space," Thierry E Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia, said.