📰 Whirlpool closes its plant in Pilar and stops production in Argentina
📍 The announcement
The US multinational Whirlpool announced on November 26, 2025 the closure of its plant in Pilar, where it manufactured washing machines for the domestic market and export. The decision involves the dismissal of 220 employees, including operators, management and supply chain personnel.
The company explained that from now on it will concentrate its operation on sales and services, guaranteeing the supply of appliances, accessories and spare parts throughout the country, but through the import of products.
📉 The reasons for the closure
According to the company, the measure responds to:
👥 Impact on workers
The closure generated a strong social impact in Pilar. The dismissed employees decided to remain at the plant as a form of protest and resistance, demanding answers to the loss of their jobs.
Meanwhile, Whirlpool assured that it will maintain its commercial and distribution office in Argentina, with between 100 and 120 employees, preserving its presence in the country as it has done for 35 years.
🌐 Industrial context
The Pilar plant had been inaugurated in 2022 with an investment of 50 million dollars, aimed at producing state-of-the-art washing machines. However, just three years later, the company decided to abandon local production.
This closure is in addition to other recent cases in the national industry, where companies such as Essen also had to reduce personnel due to the fall in consumption.
🎯 Final Thoughts
The closure of Whirlpool in Pilar reflects the structural difficulties of the Argentine industry, marked by low domestic demand, import pressure and a lack of export competitiveness. Although the brand will continue to market its products in the country, the decision represents a blow to employment and national production, leaving open the discussion on the future of the Argentine industrial sector.
Argentina breaks the consensus in the G20: an unprecedented position that marks alignment with the US and questions the approach to the Middle East.
🌍 Context of the Summit
The G20 Leaders' Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, was marked by a historic event: Argentina decided not to sign the final declaration, becoming the only country to reject the document promoted by the South African presidency. The decision was announced by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, who represented the country in the absence of President Javier Milei.
📌 Arguments of the Foreign Ministry
🔎 Political implications
🚆 Argentina invests US$300 million in 43 new trains for the AMBA
The Argentine government announced the purchase of 43 modern trains, with an investment of close to US$300 million (€260 million), within the framework of the Modernization Plan of the Metropolitan Railway System.
💡 A strategic investment for public transport
The measure is part of the Railway Emergency, which seeks to renew and expand the fleet of services in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA).
📊 Details of the operation
🛤️ Benefited lines
The trains will be destined for the following lines:
👉 It is estimated that 1.3 million daily passengers will benefit from the incorporation of these units.
📜 Historical context
🚀 Expected impact
With this investment, the Government seeks to:
🗣️ Official statements
Sources from the Ministry of Transport pointed out that the purchase represents:
"A fundamental step to recover the Argentine railway system and guarantee a decent service for millions of users."
🔎 In summary
The acquisition of these 43 new trains constitutes one of the most relevant investments in railway infrastructure in the last decade, aimed at revitalising a key service for urban mobility and social integration in the AMBA.
4G Internet on the Moon: Nokia and Intuitive Machines Bring Cellular Connectivity to Space
The IM-2 mission will mark a historic milestone by installing the first cellular network outside the Earth, transforming space communications
In an unprecedented breakthrough for space exploration, Nokia and Intuitive Machines have completed the final integration of the Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS) on the Athena lander, which traveled to the lunar south pole in February 2025 to deploy the first 4G/LTE cellular network on the Moon.
A network in a box of 384,000 kilometres
After months of rigorous testing and validation at Nokia Bell Labs, Intuitive Machines engineers installed the LSCS on one of Athena's carbon composite top panels. This "network in a box" — a complete network contained in a box — had to be designed to withstand the 384,000-kilometer journey to the Moon, withstand the extreme stresses of takeoff and landing, and operate optimally on the hostile lunar surface.
"We believe that bringing Nokia's 4G/LTE system to the lunar surface is a transformative moment in the commercialization of space and the maturity of the lunar economy," said Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines. "We are taking careful steps towards sustainability. Whether it's Nokia connecting surface assets, or Intuitive Machines' ability to transmit that data back to Earth and set up lunar data relay satellites, these innovations are fundamental capabilities that we believe will define the Artemis generation."
Terrestrial technology adapted for extreme conditions
The system uses the same 4G/LTE cellular technology that connects billions of devices on Earth, though Nokia Bell Labs completely reconceptualized it to meet the unique requirements of a lunar mission. The network is designed to handle surface connectivity between the lander and the exploration vehicles, supporting high-definition video transmission, command and control communications, and telemetry data.
"We intend to demonstrate that cellular technologies can provide the reliable, high-capacity and efficient connectivity needed for future manned and unmanned missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars," said Thierry E. Klein, president of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia. "Cellular technology has irrevocably transformed the way we communicate on Earth. There's no reason why I can't do the same on other worlds."
Two vehicles connected from day one
In addition to the system installed on Athena, two complementary device modules of the LSCS have been integrated into lunar mobility vehicles:
Upon landing on the Moon, both vehicles will immediately deploy to the lunar surface, where they will use Nokia device modules to establish network connections on Athena. All the collected data will be transmitted over the Nokia network to Athena, which will relay it back to Earth using Intuitive Machines' direct transmission service.
NASA endorsement and business vision
The project is supported by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate through its Tipping Point initiative, which funds industry-developed space technologies to foster commercial space capabilities and benefit future NASA missions. Nokia received a contract from NASA in 2021 to develop this technology.
The system is protected by 14 thermally insulated mounting points and integrated with Athena's Thermal Protection System, which manages heat during periods of operation and inactivity. These precautions are critical, as the network is expected to work only for a few days: the spacecraft probably won't survive after night falls on the lunar surface.
Towards a permanent lunar infrastructure
Beyond this demonstration mission, Nokia has plans for more expansive 4G or 5G networks that can cover the planned Artemis habitat and its surroundings. The company is also working on integrating cellular communications into Axiom spacesuits intended for future lunar astronauts.
"Maybe just a network in a box, a tower, would provide the full coverage, or maybe we'd need multiple of these. That's not going to be any different than what you see in the deployment of terrestrial cellular networks," Klein explained. "The network should grow along with the future lunar economy."
Intuitive Machines is also working to deploy a constellation of lunar satellites to provide communication and navigation services for NASA's Artemis activities on the moon, under a NASA contract awarded last year for up to $4.82 billion.
Challenges and controversies
Not everyone is excited about this vision. LTE networks typically operate between 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz, a region of the radio frequency spectrum that partially overlaps with frequencies reserved for radio astronomy. Some scientists express concern about potential interference with astronomical observations from the Moon, considered an electromagnetically quiet environment ideal for radio telescopes.
However, proponents argue that establishing robust communications infrastructure is essential for a sustainable lunar presence and that regulations can manage the coexistence between telecommunications and science.
A milestone in the commercialization of space
The collaboration between Intuitive Machines, Nokia and Lunar Outpost exemplifies the maturation of the commercial space sector, particularly in establishing critical infrastructure for sustained lunar operations. Adapting terrestrial 4G/LTE technology for lunar operations could significantly reduce the costs and complexity of future missions compared to traditional space communication systems.
The Athena module is scheduled to launch in late February 2025 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If successful, this mission will not only demonstrate the viability of cellular communications on the Moon, but also set a crucial precedent for the infrastructure that will underpin the next era of human space exploration.
As Altemus stated, "These innovations represent foundational capabilities that will define the Artemis generation and were initiated through NASA's leadership."
About the companies:
Intuitive Machines is a diversified space exploration, infrastructure, and services company focused on fundamentally transforming the lunar access economy.
Nokia Bell Labs is the research arm of Nokia, responsible for numerous technological advances that have transformed global communications since its founding in 1925.
Lunar Outpost is an aerospace company specializing in space robotics and planetary exploration technologies.
Document generated in 0 second