In a historic step in space exploration, NASA is preparing to set up the first mobile network on the moon. The unprecedented development is part of Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, which will see the Athena lander launched on Thursday to set up the Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS). The LSCS, developed by Nokia, will establish connectivity on the lunar surface using cellular technology used on Earth.
Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research
This mobile network will enable high-definition video streaming, command-and-control communications, and telemetry data transfer between the lander and lunar vehicles. According to Thierry Klein, president of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, this network is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of space - such as extreme temperatures, radiation, and vibrations during launch-landing.
We've put all of the components into a 'network in a box,' which includes everything needed for a cell network except the antennas and power source, Klein told MIT Technology Review.
The mission will consist of two lunar vehicles: Intuitive Machines' Micro-Nova hopper and Lunar Outpost's Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover. These vehicles will connect to the network set up by the Athena lander using Nokia's Device Module. This network will only work for a few days due to the lunar night, but this technology is promising for future lunar missions.
Foundations of the Artemis Program
The success of this mobile network lays the groundwork for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface by 2027. Nokia's long-term goal is to expand this network to support sustainable human activities on the moon, which could include integrating cell communications into spacesuits for future astronauts.
PRIME-1 Experiment
In addition to the mobile network deployment, NASA will also conduct its Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1 (PRIME-1). This experiment will drill into the lunar surface to extract regolith and analyze volatiles with a mass spectrometer.
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