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Life on this planet feels pretty unbearable right now, and in an ideal world we would at least have internet access everywhere, right? Fun enough for us Earthlings, NASA just announced plans to put 4G internet on the moon, selecting the infamously indestructible Nokia (of course) as its official mobile phone provider.
So what does this mean? Can we one day call astronauts 238,900 miles above us?
Basically, the answer is yes, as the Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology and consumer electronics company just received $ 14.1 million in a contract to build a 4G LTE base station on the moon by 2022. This is part of NASA’s Artemis program, his effort to further create a more recognizable human presence in the iconic astronomical body. Last week, NASA announced that 14 agencies were selected to develop technology on the Moon, including Nokia, which has a very important and historic responsibility.
Nokia is expected to upgrade to 5G from 4G over time, allowing astronauts to communicate via audio and video calls, among other things. The use of the Internet and wireless communication will help with data transmission, including command and control functions, remote navigation of lunar robots, transmission of high-definition video in space, exchange of biometric data, etc.
In a statement, Marcus Weldon, Nokia’s chief technology officer, detailed the company’s plans for lunar mobile phone network technology: “Building on our rich and successful history in space technologies, from pioneering satellite communication to the discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation produced by the Big Bang, we are now building the first cellular communication network on the Moon, “he explains,” Reliable, robust and high-capacity communications networks will be key to supporting sustainable human presence in the lunar surface “.
Ultimately, according to Nokia, the shared goal between them and NASA is “to deploy the first LTE / 4G communications system in space” and “to help pave the way for a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.”
The last time a human being stepped on the moon was on December 14, 1972, during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission. With its Artemis program, NASA plans to “land the first woman and the next man” on the Moon by 2024, 52 years and many soft landings later.
Artemis relies on a coalition of US government, industry and world partners The new u memorandum… https://t.co/iXkmMhV3P5
– Jim Bridenstine (@Jim Bridenstine)1603215710.0
Overall, NASA’s plan costs a whopping $ 28 million, including this program, to “use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap,” which is to “send astronauts to Mars.”
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