the saga Nokia marked an entire generation with its iconic cell phones. In the 2000s, the Finnish giant sold more than 400 million devices per year, dominating the market with cult models like the 3310. Its proprietary technology Symbian then fitted the majority of smartphones. After crossing the desert in consumer telephony, Nokia is now reinventing its expertise in an unexpected territory: the lunar surface.
The challenges of a network in a hostile environment
When land mobile technology meets the space environment, innovations are required. Nokia Bell Labs has designed a revolutionary system capable of surviving the extreme conditions of space. Baptized LSCS (Lunar Surface Communication System), ce « network in a box » compact incorporates engineering feats to withstand space travel. The engineers have notably developed fourteen anchoring points equipped with advanced thermal insulation, guaranteeing the protection of the system against sudden temperature variations. The lander Athena d’Intuitive Machineswhich will take off at the end of February from Centre Spatial Kennedywill take this unique device on a journey of 385,000 kilometers.
Lunar exploration enters a new dimension
The deployment of the first lunar 4G/LTE network will radically transform exploration missions. This infrastructure will allow rovers and other autonomous vehicles to transmit data with unprecedented quality. THE Intuitive Machines’ Micro-Nova Hopper will dive into lunar craters in search of ice, while the MAPP rover will painstakingly map the south pole. These two pioneering machines will benefit from a connection allowing them to send high-definition videos and crucial telemetry data to Earth, opening new perspectives for the study of our natural satellite.
-Towards an industrialization of space
This technological advance goes beyond the scope of telecommunications. Nokia draws the contours of true lunar industrialization, where reliable communications will play a central role. This network will facilitate future manned missions, the construction of permanent bases and the exploitation of lunar resources. The leaders of Nokia Bell Labs andIntuitive Machines are already considering the adaptation of this technology for Martian missions. This technological renaissance of Nokia, moving from consumer phones to space infrastructures, illustrates the capacity for innovation of a company which has never ceased to push the boundaries of telecommunications.
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