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Nokia selected by NASA to build cellular network on the moon

reuters.com

61–70 of 224 posts

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

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We moved to AZ from TN last year. TN doesn't really bother with hiding the towers whereas AZ sometimes camouflages them; especially in the richer areas such as Scottsdale. My wife told me about some weird tree she saw which turned out to be a cell tower. I take great joy in reminding her periodically about that.

Actually, my parents have a home in Townsend near the Smokeys and a huge tower stuck up from one of the highest peaks for years, making evveryone mad. So they turned it into a "tree" and it looks even more ridiculous. But the coverage in the area is much improved.

Yeah, I think the tree camouflage does just make it worse sometimes and they should just stick with painting it a muted grey/blue so it kind of blends with the sky.

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

#62

And so the legendary indestructibility of Nokia's phones shall be put to the test once more. The very first or two digits of any phone number on Earth are the country calling codes. We should add extra digits for a planetary calling code.

Nokia isn't doing the phones, that's maybe why you're getting the downvotes;

On the second point, however, I kinda agree. People are mentioning some of the +8XX international codes but we should really go hierarchical. A separate higher level code for Earth, for Moon, other planetary bodies; then eventually higher level codes for solar systems, etc.

I really doubt they'll even be doing phone numbers, though.

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

#63
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

What exactly requires time sync? I think it's mainly stuff like inter-cell handover, MIMO with multiple cells streaming downlink to a single phone, these kind of things. It should work as long as the base stations are synced well -- no matter what reference. Or they just drop the features that require good sync.

[Edit: maybe TDD mode? but they could settle for FDD...]

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

#64
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

There are indications that signals from the US GPS constellation and other GNSS constellations can be received on at least part of the moon; coverage gaps could be closed with just a couple of satellites near the moon.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/satellites/can...

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

#66
post #19

> remote control of lunar rovers and other robotic devices And what about the known vulnerabilities of LTE/4G?

If there are hackers on the moon you have a lot of other issues.

What about the secret nazi base on the far side of the moon [1]?

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Sky

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

#68
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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,...

That's so strange. I don't see why they couldn't just pick a color that matched the other trees around it even slightly. The out-of-place ones I see that are among other trees are usually out-of-place because they are just so much taller, not a completely different color.

Well it's going to look more obvious at different times of the year. Especially in the fall and winter.

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

#70
post #67

Dumb question: What gives NASA the authority to build anything on the moon?

By being in a country that is a nuclear armed superpower with veto rights on the UN Security Council. Stuff like outer space treaty only matters when the bigger players are willing enforce it.
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