Nokia’s latest venture to set up a cellular network on the Moon generated a lot of buzz, but it ultimately missed a major milestone due to a technical issue.
Just a few weeks ago, the company made waves by becoming the first to create such a network, which was celebrated as a remarkable technological breakthrough. This initiative was carried out in collaboration with NASA for the IM-2 mission led by Intuitive Machines.
Despite the successful installation of Nokia Bell Labs’ Lunar Surface Communication System using the Athena lander, the mission fell short of achieving its aim of making the first cellular call from the Moon’s surface.
Unfortunate Landing Error
A significant landing mishap ultimately hindered Nokia’s goal of making the first cellular call from the moon, even though a 4G network was successfully set up. The Athena lander from Intuitive Machines, which was responsible for transporting the network equipment, ended up landing on its side. This error greatly restricted the solar panels’ ability to produce enough power, which in turn affected the system’s functionality and blocked the planned cellular call.
Still a Major Success
Although the mission’s main objective wasn’t completely achieved, the Finnish telecommunications company still marked a notable success by establishing a 4G network in the lunar south pole area. Nokia confirmed that key network functions were operational by successfully sending data to both Intuitive Machines’ ground station and Nokia’s mission control center back on Earth.
Even with the lunar lander’s early shutdown, Nokia was able to conduct several important tests within a short 25-minute timeframe. A senior executive at Nokia, who is also the President of Bell Labs Solution Research, publicly recognized both the success of the network and the disappointment regarding the anticipated first lunar call. He stated:
In space exploration there are big successes and small successes. We delivered and deployed the first cellular network on the Moon and we are incredibly proud of the results that we have achieved despite the very challenging circumstances. If our device modules had been functional when our network in a box was powered up, all indications tell us that we would have been able to complete the first-ever cellular call on the Moon.
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