Nokia fails to make the first cellular phone call on the Moon, but it’s not all bad
Nokia announced at the beginning of the month plans to deploy the first 4G/LTE network on the Moon. The legendary Finnish company was part of the IM-2 mission that carried various NASA technology and science equipment on the Moon meant to help future missions.
Although Nokia Bell Labs’ Surface Communications System landed safely on the Moon aboard the Athena lander, one of the mission’s objectives can no longer be achieved: placing the first cellular call on the Moon.
Unfortunately, Intuitive Machines’ Athena landed on its side, which made it impossible to provide the necessary power to make the phone call. Due to the orientation of Athena lander’s solar panels after landing, it was no longer possible to recharge the lander to power the first cellular phone call on the Moon.
On the bright side, Nokia was able to deploy the LTE network successfully to the lunar south pole region of the Moon. The company was also able to verify key aspects of the network’s operation, including the transmission of operational data to Intuitive Machine’s ground station and Nokia’s mission control center on Earth.
Although Nokia Bell Labs’ Surface Communications System landed safely on the Moon aboard the Athena lander, one of the mission’s objectives can no longer be achieved: placing the first cellular call on the Moon.
On the bright side, Nokia was able to deploy the LTE network successfully to the lunar south pole region of the Moon. The company was also able to verify key aspects of the network’s operation, including the transmission of operational data to Intuitive Machine’s ground station and Nokia’s mission control center on Earth.
Before the lander shut down due to lack of power, Nokia Bell Labs’ Surface Communications System (LSCS) was able to complete multiple tests in a 25-minute window.
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.
– Thierry E. Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia, March 2025
Even though Nokia is probably the name that will make headlines regarding the failure to make the first cellular phone call on the Moon, it’s Intuitive Machines that was affected the most.
Because its Athena module did not land correctly, it made it impossible for the rest of the mission to achieve all key objectives, the company’s shares lost more than half their value.
All in all, even if the mission wasn’t a complete success, at least it proves that commercial components that are used on Earth can be adapted to function properly on the Moon.
Because its Athena module did not land correctly, it made it impossible for the rest of the mission to achieve all key objectives, the company’s shares lost more than half their value.
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