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4G on moon: NASA awards contract to Nokia to set up LTE on lunar surface

Telecom major Nokia has been awarded a contract by US space agency NASA to establish 4G network on the moon. Nokia plans to first install 4G/LTE network and later convert it to 5G.

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Telecom major Nokia has been awarded a contract by US space agency NASA to establish 4G network on the moon. Nokia plans to first install 4G/LTE network and later convert it to 5G.

Nokia will receive USD 14.1 million to start work on behalf of NASA. The fund is part of a USD 370 million contract signed under NASA's 'Tipping Point' selection, which aims to advance research and development for space exploration. 

In its official announcement, NASA said that this 4G system can support communication on the lunar surface at a longer distance, faster speed and in a better way.

NASA has selected a total of 14 US companies, including Nokia, for its moon mission. A collective fund of USD 370 million has been allocated for this mission. The US Space Agency aims to develop a range of technologies to pave the way for permanent Artemis program on the moon by the end of this decade.

The selected companies include SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Nokia, Sierra Nevada, SSL Robotics and United Launch Alliance (ULA). 

According to United Press International, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a live broadcast that if NASA wants to meet its goal of seeing astronauts working on the moon by 2028, it will have to develop new technology rapidly. 

Bridenstine further said that power systems are needed that can stay on the lunar surface for a long time, adding that and the ability to migrate to the moon must also be developed.

This is not the first time Nokia has received this responsibility. Earlier in 2018, Nokia had made the first attempt to launch LTE network on the moon. Nokia had partnered with German space firm PTScientists and Vodafone UK, with plans to set up the network on the Apollo 17 landing. However, this plan could never be implemented.

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