tachophile t1_jebg1bc wrote on March 30, 2023 at 8:09 PM

Sure, but the practical network is going to be a lunar starlink constellation.

KarmaWSYD t1_jeejsg0 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 1:17 PM

Why would using whole satellite constellation be more practical for providing network access on the moon over some LTE stations?

tachophile t1_jefviph wrote on March 31, 2023 at 6:36 PM

Because nothing needs to land, less delta V/fuel, and you'd need a lot fewer satellites than stations. Also, there should be little if any new h/w engineering necessary adapting Starlink for lunar operations.

KarmaWSYD t1_jefzn5j wrote on March 31, 2023 at 7:03 PM

Starlink still needs ground stations for each connection, no? Besides, are we realistically even looking at that many stations?

tachophile t1_jeg7ic0 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 7:55 PM

AFAIK not with the laser interconnect.

KarmaWSYD t1_jegmad3 wrote on March 31, 2023 at 9:35 PM

That's at leastsomething. Still, you'd need user terminals which, to my knowledge, haven't gotten particularly small or light, at least compared to a 4G chip. Probably using quite a bit more energy, too.

tachophile t1_jegou4a wrote on March 31, 2023 at 9:53 PM

Starlink v2 can and have started launching. They're planning to test it later this year with T-Mobile to create global data access via their existing phones.

KeaboUltra t1_jecf25k wrote on March 31, 2023 at 12:07 AM

Maybe it's just the start. They launch a station, that then supports a close orbit like how it is on earth. It'd be cheaper to maintain for Lunar built satellites, cheaper and less risky to launch, and easier to send replacements or expansions.