Getting a Signal on the Moon: 4G network for lunar missions

This is a guest post. The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent positions of IEEE Spectrum, The Institute, or IEEE. Although it might seem as though there is intense interest right now in exploring Mars, many people don’t realize how important the moon is in getting to the Red Planet. A number of countries are invested in commercial space ventures to the moon and establishing a lunar economy. During the next 20 years, a significant number of missions are expected, with approximately half being national endeavors and the other half privately funded commercial missions. The missions will be far more extensive than those of the Apollo program of the 1960s and 1970s. Instead of short visits and flag-planting, missions are planned to create a more sustained presence on the moon. The possibility of establishing semipermanent bases, conducting scientific experiments, mining, and resource utilization are being explored. To achieve those ambitious goals, ... Read full article.