Much like Gru, Nokia has always been obsessed with stealing the moon. Okay, maybe that's a stretch, but the company has taken a very keen interest in developing technology for lunar missions. Back in 2018, Nokia was working on a system that would bring LTE connectivity to everyone's favorite lumpy gray rock. Now NASA has agreed to hand over 14.1 million dollars to help make Nokia's dream a reality.

The project, which involves Nokia building a 4G cellular communication network on the moon, is part of a series of new contracts NASA is awarding for lunar surface research missions. In total, $370 million is being awarded to companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance with the goal of making the moon a place that astronauts will want to call home by 2028.

NASA hopes the system could "support lunar surface communications at greater distances, increased speeds and provide more reliability than current standards." Nokia's moon network could support better communication between lunar landers, rovers, and even astronauts. With the $14.1 million contract, Nokia will examine current terrestrial technology and investigate potential modifications to make it viable in the lunar environment.

While this is cool and all, I can't help but feel a little dubious. The last time Nokia wanted to test new technology on the moon, things didn't work out. The launch, which was set for 2019, never happened, and one of the companies Nokia was working with filed for bankruptcy protection.

And anyway, in this modern age of 2020, should the moon really settle for mere 4G? /s

Source: United Press International