It seems that Nokia some sort of obsession with the moon or extraterrestrial communications. It’s not the first time that we see the company trying to develop technology for lunar missions, as it had done something similar in 2018.

Nokia may be getting closer to provide LTE connectivity on the moon. The company has been in talks with NASA, and it has agreed to invest 14.1 million dollars to help Nokia achieve its dreams. Nokia’s project is mainly about creating a 4G cellular communication network on the moon, as part of a series of new contracts NASA is awarding for lunar surface research missions.

“That project was part of $370 million in new contracts for lunar surface research missions NASA announced Wednesday. Most of the money went to large space companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance to perfect techniques to make and handle rocket propellant in space.”

NASA’s goal is to make the moon a place that astronauts will want to live and work on the moon in a lunar base by 2028. Nokia would help to create a network that may connect users at greater distances, allowing communication between lunar landers, rovers, habitats, and astronauts.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a live broadcast:
“We need power systems that can last a long time on the surface of the moon, and we need habitation capability on the surface.
“The system could support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds, and provide more reliability than current standards.
“We want to build the [lunar] infrastructure…that is going to enable an international partnership for the biggest, broadest, most diverse inclusive coalition of researchers and explorers in the history of humankind.”

Reuters also added that “the system would also extend to spacecraft. With NASA funding,” and that “Nokia will look at how terrestrial technology could be modified for the lunar environment to support reliable, high-rate communications.”

Still, the first time that Nokia started a similar project was a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, previous plans to test the technology on the moon never came to be, as the launch set for 2019 never happened, and one of the companies working with Nokia filed for bankruptcy protection shortly after.

Source United Press International 

Via Android Police