MC EXCLUSIVE Nokia's Bell Labs wants to power India's future moon missions with 4G and 5G tech

Chandrayaan-3

In a bid to expand its lunar communication initiatives, Nokia's Bell Labs is open to exploring partnerships with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Indian government, and the country's private space players to support future Moon missions with 4G connectivity and advanced networking solutions.

Thierry Klein, President of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, who visited India in late June, told Moneycontrol that India's growing space ambitions present a unique opportunity for collaboration.

"We are in a lot of conversations globally, working with government agencies and private companies to see how we can support their missions from a communications perspective. This is really the reason why I came to India—because it is a great opportunity for me to learn more about the space ecosystem and build relations and explore collaboration opportunities with the Indian space sector," Klein said.

India plans to launch the Chandrayaan-4 mission in 2027, aiming to bring back samples of moon rocks to Earth. Chandrayaan-4 will involve at least two separate launches of the heavy-lift LVM-3 rocket, which will carry five different components of the mission that will be assembled in orbit.

Asked if Nokia Bell Labs is engaging with ISRO, which is the primary agency in India for space exploration and research, he said, "Yeah, we definitely want to engage with them [ISRO]. I met people from both the government and private companies. They are very interested in continuing the conversations on both sides, the private sector as well as the public sector." He added, "I have had lots of conversations and lots of interest in exploring working together."

Bringing Cellular Tech to Space

Nokia Bell Labs has been developing cutting-edge communication systems for future lunar missions, with the aim of supporting the growing global interest from governments, such as India, and private space enterprises in establishing a permanent presence on the Moon and, eventually, Mars.

"Unlike the Apollo era, which relied on basic voice and low-resolution imagery, future lunar missions will demand high-definition video, data-rich applications, and low-latency networks to support scientific research, mining, transportation, and habitation on the Moon," said Klein.

To meet those demands, Bell Labs is adapting commercial-grade 4G and 5G cellular technologies, currently used globally on Earth, for use in space.

The first real-world test of this technology was conducted during the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission, which landed on the Moon on March 6, 2024, and successfully demonstrated a functioning 4G LTE network on the lunar surface.

“So that’s been our vision for seven or eight years, and that’s what we’ve really done with the Intuitive Machines 2 mission...We built the first cellular network and wanted to prove that we could do this. It was a technology demonstration to show that we can take something based on the networks we use on Earth, make all the necessary adaptations I mentioned, deploy the network, operate it successfully, and prove that cellular technology is a viable solution for space operations,” Klein said.

He emphasised that while these space networks use standard 3GPP cellular technologies, they must be drastically reengineered to withstand extreme temperatures, mechanical stress, radiation, and power constraints.

From Moon Camps to Lunar NTNs

Klein said Bell Labs envisions the Moon’s communication infrastructure developing similarly to Earth's surface networks, supporting permanent lunar bases, while satellites in lunar orbit provide 5G-based backhaul or coverage for remote regions. “We think of 5G as both providing surface capabilities as well as orbit-to-surface capabilities,” he said, likening it to non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) on Earth.

The company initially opted for 4G due to its maturity at the time the project began in 2020. Looking ahead, the migration to 5G is on the horizon, likely coinciding with the shift to 6G on Earth.

"We would expect that we have 5G on the lunar surface by 2030,” Klein said, explaining that staying one generation behind Earth networks allows lunar missions to benefit from economies of scale, mature ecosystems, and deployment experience.

Beyond the IM-2 Mission

Nokia and Intuitive Machines successfully delivered a 4G LTE network to the Moon. However, a planned wireless call couldn’t be made because the Athena lander tipped over, limiting its ability to recharge. Still, Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), including its base station, radio, and core, ran flawlessly during the 25-minute power window.

Klein also revealed that Nokia is working with Axiom Space to integrate 4G LTE into next-generation space suits, which are slated for NASA’s Artemis III mission in 2027.
Meanwhile, Nokia continues to engage with governments and commercial partners globally.

“Everybody realizes there is a need for communication. We are really open to working with anybody that we could support,” Klein said.