Fifth Generation Reaches the Moon.. NASA Paves Way for Surface Communication Network

NASA is preparing to transfer communication technologies used daily on Earth to a more challenging environment: the lunar surface.

The agency awarded ModuLite Space Corporation a fixed-price contract worth approximately $38 million to develop a lunar communication system based on fifth-generation (5G) technology and integrating Wi-Fi 6.

The project is being executed for NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in two phases. The first phase, running from October 1, 2026, to January 31, 2028, focuses on developing and testing a compact system that NASA describes as a “5G network in a box.” The second phase, scheduled between November 30 and December 31, 2028, aims to integrate 5G and Wi-Fi networks and conduct a demonstration on the lunar surface.

NASA aims to build a scalable system based on commercially used communication standards, which will enable future connectivity among astronauts, vehicles, and scientific equipment during lunar operations. The agency states that adopting proven terrestrial technologies could provide greater flexibility in developing communication infrastructure as human activity on the Moon expands.