NASA taps Nokia 4G/5G for LunaNet moon-to-earth video delivery

The deployment of terrestrial-grade networking in deep space marks a shift from isolated scientific payloads to an interoperable B2B infrastructure. For the streaming industry, this establishes the blueprint for extraterrestrial content delivery, enabling real-time, high-definition monitoring of lunar operations. Beyond exploration, the focus on hardware-level security and post-quantum encryption addresses the rising threat of state-sponsored interference in high-value orbital assets. As commercial mining and intelligence gathering expand, secure, high-bandwidth links will become the essential utility for any entity operating beyond LEO. Watch for the performance metrics of the first optical-to-earth laser links, which could render current RF-based deep space relays obsolete.

The push for lunar connectivity is accelerating through massive multi-agency programs and commercial partnerships. In October 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) officially launched its Moonlight Program, a satellite constellation designed to provide autonomous communication and navigation services for over 400 planned lunar missions. Per ESA, the initiative includes the Lunar Pathfinder relay satellite, expected to commence operations in 2026, with full constellation services rolling out by 2030. Moonlight is designed to be fully interoperable with NASA’s LunaNet standards, creating a unified communication framework for international lunar users.

Simultaneously, the commercial sector is already testing the hardware that will form LunaNet's backbone. In March 2025, Nokia and Intuitive Machines successfully delivered the first cellular "network in a box" to the lunar south pole as part of the IM-2 mission. Although the mission faced power limitations, Nokia Bell Labs confirmed the successful activation of communication components and the transmission of operational data back to Earth. This mission served as a critical trial for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuits, which per Fierce Network (August 2024), will integrate Nokia’s LTE capabilities to support video and voice during the Artemis III crewed landing scheduled for 2026.

Complementing these efforts, DARPA’s 10-Year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) study, which concluded its initial phase in mid-2024, has identified 14 companies—including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman—to develop monetizable lunar services. According to DARPA reports from May 2024, the goal is to move away from "fractionated" systems where each lander provides its own power and comms, toward a centralized infrastructure. This includes Northrop Grumman’s conceptual lunar railroad and Redwire Corporation’s cislunar communication services, creating a self-sustaining lunar economy supported by mobile architecture for OTT, creating a self-sustaining lunar economy supported by high-speed data links.