NASA awards Nokia contract to set up 4G network on moon

"Vodafone Germany appoints Nokia as the technology partner to develop space-grade network weighing less than a bag of sugar", the official statement read. The company has shown interest in bringing high-speed cellular connectivity to the Moon in the past as well but now NASA has made a decision to give Nokia $14.1 million for the same. As a part of the project that has a total budget of $370 million, NASA will provide $14.1 million to the Finnish telecommunication company to bring the 4G solutions on the lunar surface.

The project is part of a $370m string of contracts issued by NASA as it readies for a return to the moon in 2024. "Most of the money went to large space companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance to ideal techniques to make and handle rocket propellant in space".

"The system could support communication on the lunar surface over greater distances and higher speeds and offer greater reliability than the current standards", the announcement also says.

NASA, the US-based space agency, has teamed up with Nokia's research arm, Bell Labs to bring 4G LTE connectivity on the moon.

"We need power systems that can last a long time on the surface of the moon, and we need habitation capability on the surface", Bridenstine said.

"We want to build the [lunar] infrastructure...that is going to enable an global partnership for the biggest, broadest, most diverse inclusive coalition of researchers and explorers in the history of humankind". The cellular service will allow astronauts, rovers, lunar landers, and habitats to communicate with one another according to Jim Reuter, the Associate Administrator for NASA's Space.