Laser Beam Turns Moon Into Wi-Fi Hotspot

Hey! Hey! I thought that was you coming in for a landing when I felt the coffee mugs trembling. Grab one, fill it with coffee and snag a virtual treat while you're at it. Now then...how the heck are you today? Got your computer with you? Planning a trip to the moon? (Shades of Alice Kramden, eh!) They've now got Wi-Fi up there...did you know that?

A Wi-Fi signal has been beamed to the Moon after scientists used powerful lasers to transmit data to space. Nasa researchers established a solid connection with a satellite circling the Moon, with a download speed of 19 megabits per second (Mbps) - faster than the UK home average of 14.7Mbps.

The technology means that future generations that may live or work there would be able to easily keep in touch with people back on Earth. Telescopes at a base in New Mexico were used to send a laser beam to a receiver mounted on a satellite. A telescope on the satellite collected the beam and focused it into an optical fibre. A photodetector was then used to turn the light into electrical pulses, which were then converted to data.

Because of the 239,000 mile (384,400km) distance between Earth and the Moon, and the difficulties of sending data through the atmosphere, four telescopes were used to ensure that data from at least one reached the target.

Mark Stevens, from the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, told Wired magazine: "Communicating at high data rates from Earth to the moon with laser beams is challenging because of the distance spreading out the light beam.

"It's doubly difficult going through the atmosphere, because turbulence can bend light - causing rapid fading or dropouts of the signal at the receiver."

The scientists behind the project will present their findings at a technology conference in California on June 9.

Let's look at some of the practical reasons for Wi-Fi on the moon, eh! Ordering pizza's got to be number 1...of course getting it delivered in 30 minutes or less may be a bit problematic. 

Being able to drop in to my virtual cafe's got to be up there, too, right?

How about...letting the wife know you'll be a little late for dinner...

Telling the boss about a flat tire your spaceship had so you won't be in the office today...

Being able to check your thousands of emails most of which are useless anyway...

Send me your five top reasons to have Wi-Fi on the moon, okay!

See ya, eh!

Bob