NASA sends Wi-Fi to the moon

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

The technological move means that future generations that may live or work on the moon would easily be able to keep in touch with loved-ones back on Earth.

Because of the 239,000 mile distance between Earth and the Moon four telescopes at a base in New Mexico were used to ensure that the data from at least one of them reached the target.

Mark Stevens, from the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, told tech magazine Wired: “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.”