As the world hurtles towards 5G mobile network, NASA has selected Finish tech company Nokia to construct the first-ever 4G mobile network on the moon.
Nokia’s U.S. industrial research arm, Bell Labs, is offering up its infrastructure to NASA to assist build out the lunar network.
An announcement from Nokia claims that the network will be launched in late 2022.
NASA has long planned to send astronauts to the moon by 2024, under its Artemis program, which will be the first time in half a century that man has landed on Earth’s natural satellite.
The plan also includes establishing sustainable human presence by 2028.
The U.S. space agency is working with various companies in the program, and Nokia joins an esteemed list that includes Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Dynetics, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Bell Labs was paid $14.1 million for the project, and Nokia says that its 4G mobile network will enable astronauts carry out numerous activities like making voice and video calls, deploying payloads, and sending important data.
The Finnish tech company also says that it will eventually launch 5G mobile network on the moon.
