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NASA Plans Lunar Mobile Phone Network

Posted by samzenpus on from the dark-side-of-the-moon-minutes-cost-more-money dept.

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.

11 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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    In an effort to conform with internet communication standards, please note that the above comment is 100% biased opinion
  3. In space by antifoidulus · · Score: 5, Funny

    noone can hear you now!

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    Monstar L
  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.

    --
    In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
    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: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.
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    GPG 0x1B479C78
  8. 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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    Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
  9. 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.'
  10. 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.

  11. 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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