NASA is preparing to launch mobile and internet services on the Moon as part of its plans for future human settlements and transportation networks. The historic mission is scheduled for Thursday and will feature the deployment of the Athena lander. This marks a significant step toward establishing the first-ever mobile network on the Moon. This initiative is a collaboration between NASA and Nokia, with the communication system, called the Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS), developed by Nokia. Using cellular technology similar to that on Earth, the system will enable connectivity on the Moon’s surface.
The lunar mobile network will support high-definition video streaming, command and control communications, and telemetry data transfer between landers and spacecraft. The LSCS has been designed to endure the extreme conditions of space, including intense radiation and temperature fluctuations. The mission will also include two vehicles: Intuitive Machines’ Micro-Nova Hopper and Lunar Outpost’s Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover. Both vehicles will connect to the network via Nokia’s device modules.
In addition to the mobile network, NASA will conduct the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1), which aims to extract and analyze lunar soil for volatile compounds using a mass spectrometer. This mobile network is a major breakthrough in space communication technology and lays the foundation for future lunar missions, including NASA’s Artemis program, which plans to return humans to the Moon by 2027. Nokia intends to extend this network to support long-term human activities on the Moon, with potential future applications, such as integrating cellular communication into astronauts' spacesuits.
Despite the technological advancements, some experts have raised concerns about the impact of radio signals from the lunar mobile network on radio astronomy. Chris De Pree, deputy spectrum manager at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), warned that the radio signals could interfere with sensitive astronomical observations, particularly when telescopes are directed toward the sky.