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NASA Plans Lunar Mobile Phone Network

If NASA and the British National Space Centre succeed in their 'MoonLite mission' you won't be able to say, "In space no one can hear your ringtone." They plan on building a satellite system/phone network that would provide full four-bar signal coverage for colonists living in the base NASA wants to build at the south pole of the moon after 2020.

18 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Telecoms reap millions by CRCulver · · Score: 4, Funny

    A couple of hundred thousand miles away is a lot of roaming.

  2. Figures... by framauro13 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Great. The Moon will have better coverage than my current Sprint plan. I bet their data plan will be cheaper too.

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    1. Re:Figures... by brian0918 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sprint isn't that bad.. I mean, I use it for everything I do online and I've ne#^%^#$&$^#&^$ NO CARRIER

  3. In space by antifoidulus · · Score: 5, Funny

    noone can hear you now!

  4. 4 bars? by KublaiKhan · · Score: 5, Funny

    There's only going to be four bars to provide coverage on the moon?

    It had better be a small colony, then. Or they'd better be really big bars, hopefully without annoyingly trendy kitsch, and hopefully with some really good whiskey.

    --
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    A stately pleasure dome decree
  5. Re:lag time by brian0918 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "would there be an audible lag time for calls like this?"

    Nope, the article says any lag time would fall either below 20 or above 20,000 Hz. If you were trying to talk to fido, he might notice a delay, however.

  6. Can you hear me now? by Cheza · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is great, I'll be able to place a call on the moon but I still can't place one in my house.

  7. Re:but will you have to go outside to use it? by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Funny

    Let's see who trumps this one by offering a 5 bar service for Mars.

    Exactly what I was thinking. This is precisely why NASA is going down the drain. They can't even get full cellphone signal, let alone get their units right.

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  8. Re:What are the data rates by Ernesto+Alvarez · · Score: 5, Funny

    yeah, but I think that will come out to .02 a meg, .005 a text, and .1 for 60 minutes of talk in the petro-euros we will be using in 2020.


    You seem to be having a problem with your keyboard.
    Anyway, I corrected the text for you.
  9. Oh, the heck with it. by arizwebfoot · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now the Moon will another place I can't hide from the ex.

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  10. This is actually a very clever plan by petes_PoV · · Score: 3, Funny
    Hopefully it will answer once and for all, the question about whether there's intelligent life out there.

    As soon as there's any hint of a mobile phone mast getting installed all the NIMBY's start moaning, writing to their MP's, holding protests and petitioning the phone company.

    If there is life on other planets, all we have to do to find it is to announce that someone will errect a mobile mast - then just wait for the protests from the aliens. No protests means we are truly alone, afterall.

    --
    politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
  11. Re:What are the data rates by Amouth · · Score: 4, Funny

    yeah, but I think that will come out to .02 a meg, .005 a text, and .1 for 60 minutes of talk in the Renminbi we will be using in 2020.


    You seem to be having a problem with your keyboard.
    Anyway, I corrected the text for you. Fixed again

    --
    '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  12. HELLO! I'M ON THE MOON! by damburger · · Score: 3, Funny

    NO, ITS SHIT!

    Sorry, had to be done.

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    If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
  13. brilliant by nguy · · Score: 4, Funny

    First, NASA tricks AT&T in setting up a cell phone network on the moon, then, in order to recoup their investment, AT&T must somehow get the moon colonized.

  14. Re:What are the data rates by SleptThroughClass · · Score: 3, Funny

    My personal preference is to avoid using a speakerphone in my space suit.

  15. Wow by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Guess where *I'm* calling from!"

  16. Bummer by Tarlus · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...you won't be able to say, "In space no one can hear your ringtone." Well that's a damn shame, considering how everyone uses that phrase all the time.
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