NASA Plans to Establish a Wi-Fi Network Around the Moon

Metaverse Planet October 1, 2025Last Updated: November 3, 2025

2 2 minutes read

NASA is planning to establish a Wi-Fi network around the Moon to create an infrastructure capable of providing uninterrupted communication during its lunar missions. Solstar Space has been tasked with providing the necessary hardware.

With the Artemis program, NASA aims to land astronauts on the Moon again within the next five years and establish a permanent base there. Achieving this goal requires an infrastructure that allows all elements—from landing systems and surface vehicles to scientific modules and the orbital Lunar Gateway station—to communicate without interruption. One of the agency’s priorities is for astronauts and robotic systems to be able to communicate via Wi-Fi, just as they do on Earth. Therefore, there are plans to establish a Wi-Fi network on the Moon in the coming period.

NASA has signed a $150,000 contract with Solstar Space for a next-generation Wi-Fi system to be used in lunar missions. This system, called the Lunar Wi-Fi Access Point (LWIFI-AP), will function as a communication infrastructure for both NASA’s crewed lunar missions under the Artemis program and the private sector’s CLPS program, which regularly transports cargo and research equipment to the Moon. The technology developed by Solstar will provide multi-band, multi-protocol, and real-time communication between astronauts and vehicles on the lunar surface and platforms in lunar orbit.

Developing Lunar-Qualified Hardware is Necessary to Establish a Wi-Fi Network on the Moon

The LWIFI-AP is being designed with a focus on efficiency in terms of size, weight, and power consumption. This will allow it to be integrated into both landers and surface vehicles like the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). The system will also be compatible with parts of the Lunar Gateway, such as the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module and the airlock. The agreement between NASA and Solstar Space anticipates that Wi-Fi will be used not only for daily communication but also for scientific data transfer, navigation, vehicle coordination, and seamless connection to mission control.

One of the most critical technical aspects is developing hardware that can withstand the Moon’s extreme temperature variations, radiation, and dust conditions. Solstar’s solution will be based on hardware that adheres to low-SWaP (SWaP = Size, Weight, and Power) limitations, has high thermal endurance, and is radiation-tolerant. The company plans to develop the necessary environmental hardening for space qualification during this phase. If successful, the LWIFI-AP will be made flight-ready and available for use in missions by both NASA and other Artemis contractors.

The realization of this project will complete a significant part of the infrastructure required to establish a permanent base on the Moon. Although a clear timetable for this project has not yet been announced, it is expected to advance in parallel with the Artemis program and be ready within the next few years.