By Nick Heath, 19 February 2008 11:42
NEWS
After conquering the farthest corners of the globe, mobile phones are now destined for the final frontier - space.
Wireless from A to Z
Click on the links below to find out moreĀ
A is for Antivirus
B is for Bluetooth
C is for The Cloud
D is for dotMobi
E is for Email
F is for FMC
G is for GPS
H is for HSDPA
I is for i-mode
J is for Japan Air
K is for Korea
L is for LBS
M is for M2M
N is for NFC
O is for Operating systems
P is for Pubs
Q is for QoS
R is for Roaming
S is for Satellite
T is for TV
U is for UMTS
V is for Virgin
W is for WiMax
X is for XDA
Y is for Yucca
Z is for Zigbee
Even in the cosmos there will be no escaping the ringtone as Nasa and the British National Space Centre (BNSC) prepare to trial a mobile phone network for the moon.
Astronauts and robots exploring the moon's surface will only be a text message away after the system goes live later this century.
The satellite system should ensure a full four-bar signal for lunar colonists living in the base Nasa wants to build at the south pole of the moon after 2020.
The stellar vision of the mobile's future even tops the effort that managed to get a text message to the top of Mount Everest.
Phone calls and other information would be bounced off satellites orbiting the moon for communication between colonists, the moon base and the earth.
The joint Nasa/BNSC MoonLite mission, due to be launched after 2012, will test a prototype version of the satellite phone network - similar to the Inmarsat network on Earth.
During the MoonLite mission a lunar orbiter would use the technology to transmit information about the structure of the moon back to earth from scientific instruments buried in the lunar soil.
Comments
There are 8 comments. Join the discussion
1. Karen Challinor
I wonder what the roaming charge will be ?
2. Paul Endris
New from Apple - the all new iMoon!
3. John Doe
A hilltop repeater would do a much better job, at one millionth of the cost.
4. Fred Tal
So why can't I get cell service at my house?
5. Richard Gianella
Wont it be just a tad inconvenient to remove a glove to text on the moon?
6. Haydn Rees
"Wont it be just a tad inconvenient to remove a glove to text on the moon?
"
Removing a glove to text on the moon would suck.
7. Chris Goodman
And the first customer is - "The Man In The Moon".
8. Karen Challinor
""Wont it be just a tad inconvenient to remove a glove to text on the moon?
"
Removing a glove to text on the moon would suck."
actually it would blow
... I know I watch too much Star Trek ;-)