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Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

reuters.com

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Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#41

Post by reaperducer »

toast0 wrote: post #33
reaperducer wrote: post #20

Does this mean the ITU is going to assign the moon a country code? I vote for +6666 (MOON). Who decides what parts of the moon get what area codes? Imagine how long it will take to get Orange to instal a landline in a crater!

I like it, but +66 is Thailand already. It would probably get one of the available +87x or +88x codes. If they aren't just going to issue numbers from the home country.

I like it, but +66 is Thailand already.

Maybe Thailand could be reassigned. Like when Mexico dropped out of +1 to become +52.

Or maybe instead of +, we dial & to get off-planet.

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#42

Post by andjd »

LinuxBender wrote: post #25
tengbretson wrote: post #14

Cool and all, but I'd settle for a cellular network in Wyoming.

I've been wanting to move to Wy, but I can't figure out what locations actually have decent internet. Looks like Casper has gigabit fiber? That's all I can tell so far.

For a second there, I was like "when did the mattress company relocate to Wyoming..."

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#43

Post by timdux »

All terrestrial base stations (1) require GPS signal for time synchronization. Most of them can run for 4 hours - 24 hours without GPS, but that's it, after that holdover period it's dead.

There is no GPS signal on the moon. That's a problem.

(1) except micro base stations

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#44

Post by api »

ortusdux wrote: post #17

I would love to see some mock-ups of orbital patterns for a moon based starlink-like network. How does the relative lack of an atmosphere affect things? How large of a constellation do you need when the orbital body is 1/4 the size of earth?

It would be way, way easier on the Moon because there's no atmosphere to attenuate signal. You would need fewer satellites and lower power. Since you could build enormously tall towers in 1/6 gravity satellites might not even be economical compared with a few big towers.

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#45

Post by reaperducer »

dr_orpheus wrote: post #36
timdorr wrote: post #15

As usual, The Onion's take on this is fantastic: https://www.theonion.com/nasa-builds-4g-tower-on-moon-tastef...

Well done. That reminds me of one of those cell phone towers disguised as a tree I drive by quite often. It is in the middle of a very large, very flat plain. I don't think there is another tree within 10 miles of it.

I see cell towers in the desert that are "disguised" to look like pine trees in places where pine trees haven't grown in 10,000 years.

https://twitter.com/Reaperducer/status/1153046208442540032

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#46

Post by VonGuard »

This reminds me of when the Bush administration gave the contract for building a cell network in Iraq to Worldcom. And Worldcom went bankrupt. Clearly, they were not in the right position to fullfill the contract, but they were in the right position to bribe their way into the contract.

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#47

Post by nimbius »

Nokinside wrote: post #39

Radiation environment on the moon is worse than in the LEO. Earth's magnetic field is not protecting in the Moon. It's unclear how much rad-hard they need if they don't use it for anything safety critical. Rad-hard 90nm SoC for 4G/LTE should be relatively straightforward. Or maybe they use redundancy and use already available few generation old chipsets. Changes for thermal management and testing eats most of the bud…

it doesnt need to last long enough for the first permanent moon colony, just long enough to get the investors excited and bump the stock.

frankly i think a moon colony thats anything but underground is a laughably myopic idea. the delta T for the moon is pretty insane.

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#48

Post by ralmidani »

spelunker wrote: post #34
bouncycastle wrote: post #18

If there is intelligent life somewhere out there, when they travel to space, I wonder if they also insist on operating technology that is at least one generation back, for the reason of "proven reliability"? I'd say probably yes. If we ever get a visit from them, that "shmux semiconductor" will be the old model...

"Greetings humans! Our vessel has arrived to destroy your planet! Please wait a few months though because this is the old model that takes a while to charge up, sorry about that..."

https://youtu.be/2XUnMiERBj4

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#49

Post by DanBC »

reaperducer wrote: post #45
dr_orpheus wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well done. That reminds me of one of those cell phone towers disguised as a tree I drive by quite often. It is in the middle of a very large, very flat plain. I don't think there is another tree within 10 miles of it.

I see cell towers in the desert that are "disguised" to look like pine trees in places where pine trees haven't grown in 10,000 years. https://twitter.com/Reaperducer/status/1153046208442540032

Here's a Google Maps image of one of these "trees" from a distance. This one is in the UK.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8765015,-2.0253306,3a,75y,...

Re: Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

#50

Post by kitteh »

timdux wrote: post #43

All terrestrial base stations (1) require GPS signal for time synchronization. Most of them can run for 4 hours - 24 hours without GPS, but that's it, after that holdover period it's dead. There is no GPS signal on the moon. That's a problem. (1) except micro base stations

They could use their own timing source, though? I recall back in the day being able to pull timing source off a circuit.
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