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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

#51

Post by keanebean86 »

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.

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.

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

#52

Post by NovemberWhiskey »

VonGuard wrote: post #46

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.

In fairness to the Bush administration (not words I often use), WorldCom went bankrupt due to a massive accounting fraud that was probably largely unrelated to their technical capability to fulfill the contract.

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

#53

Post by snypher »

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

It's a problem being worked on, but it should be possible to use the existing GPS satellites on Moon. Also, given it is just being used as a time source and not for navigation, it should be possible to make a moon-based time signal with less hardware units?

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/nasa-eyes-gps-at-t...

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

#54

Post by addicted »

VonGuard wrote: post #46

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.

Nokia is a highly profitable company. I’m not seeing the comparison.

Their loss making division was the phones division which was sold off a while ago.

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

#55

Post by wlesieutre »

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

Should've used the cactus version https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/y0nsj/how_to_hide_a_c...

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

#56

Post by goatherders »

keanebean86 wrote: post #51
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.

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.

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

#57

Post by dr_orpheus »

DanBC wrote: post #49
reaperducer wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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,...

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.

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

#58

Post by timdux »

kitteh wrote: post #50
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.

Yes, that's the clock holdover circuit, usually built using a OCXO or double OCXO or rubidium clock. It's good for 4 to 24 hours. Example:

[0] https://www.rakon.com/19-rak-product/rak-product-ocxo

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

#59

Post by risyachka »

nimbius wrote: post #47
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.

Maybe, but it will definitely push technology a few steps forward. Big possibility something useful will be found along the way, maybe even in not related field but still.

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

#60

Post by helsinkiandrew »

VonGuard wrote: post #46

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.

Nokia have an unrivalled technology and product platform, they’ve shipped millions of 4G/LTE base stations over the past decade. What makes you say they are not in a position to fulfil the contract?

Presumably they’ll get a lift to the moon from NASA

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