Calling the Moon: a 4G mobile network is set to launch on Earth's satellite.

Nokia has successfully integrated a lunar surface communication system, known as "LSCS," into the Athena lander, reports IFLScience.

Athena is set to launch to the Moon next week, with the primary goal of measuring the presence of lunar water ice. However, the spacecraft will also carry other devices that will utilize LSCS to communicate with the lander and send data and images back to Earth.

The lander is expected to touch down near the rim of the Shackleton crater. In this region, the Sun remains very low on the horizon, but it is always visible and never sets. This is the location where astronauts plan to return during the next lunar mission as part of the Artemis program.

Nokia Bell Labs and NASA have developed a 4G connection that will link the Nova-C lander with the mobile autonomous reconnaissance platform (MAPP)—the first rover from Lunar Outpost—as well as with Intuitive Machines' Micro-Nova Hopper lander.

"We aim to demonstrate that cellular technologies can provide the reliable, high-performance, and efficient communication needed for future crewed and uncrewed missions to the Moon and ultimately to Mars. Cellular technologies have fundamentally changed the way we communicate on Earth. There’s no reason they can’t do the same for communication in other worlds," said Thierry Klein, president of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia.

Launching such technology will not be an easy task. It’s important to consider that the lunar environment is extremely harsh, with temperatures fluctuating dramatically. At the equator, temperatures can range from 121 °C during the day to -133 °C at night. In the permanent shadow within the Shackleton crater, temperatures can drop to -246 °C.

First, the system must be launched and successfully delivered to the Moon. The lunar soil itself poses dangers as it consists of tiny jagged pieces of rock that can damage many surfaces. Nokia had to consider making it durable while minimizing energy consumption and ensuring reliability.

Nokia anticipates that all technological advancements for lunar communication can be easily transferred to Earth, which could lead to higher quality, more efficient, and more reliable communication devices.

It’s worth noting that hundreds of satellites are set to be sent to the Moon. A new company called Crescent Space Services will meet the growing demand for communication services on the lunar surface.