The Moon could get a 4G network in 2023

Astronauts heading to the Moon will be able to use a 4G connection. — Photography Mark Garcia/ NASA©

Before humans set foot on the Moon again, equipment must be deployed on-site to prepare for these upcoming missions. As such, infrastructure to establish high-speed wireless connectivity could be launched and ready to use by the end of this year.

The agreement between US space agency NASA and Finnish telecoms group Nokia on the installation of 4G infrastructure on the Moon, as part of NASA's Artemis program, was first announced in 2020. This NASA program will see humans return to the moon for further experiments in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars. According to CNBC, this equipment could arrive on-site and be operational in 2023. However, this connectivity will only be truly inaugurated by astronauts in 2025.