Moon to have 4G network by 2019
Berlin: The moon will have its first 4G cell phone network in 2019, the network builder Vadafone has said.
The German branch of the multinational telecommunication company has teamed up with Nokia to do the mission, London-headquartered Vadafone said in a statement on Tuesday.
The network is to support a private lunar rover mission by PTScientists, a private space company based in Berlin, which plans to launch a lander and two small rovers to the moon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Xinhua news agency reported.
The PTScientists said their team is committed to bringing down the cost of space exploration and democratising access to the moon.
The moon rover plan aims to study the lunar rover used by the Apollo astronauts during their historic landing in December 1972.
Nokia will create a space-grade Ultra Compact Network that is said to be the lightest ever developed - weighing around one kg, the same as a bag of sugar, according to the statement.
The planned network will enable PTScientists' lander to broadcast a live video from lunar surface to the audience on earth and facilitate the communication among the lander and rovers.
Under previous communication technologies used in moon exploration, such as analogue radio, transmitting data consumes considerable energy reserves and requires rovers to be stationary.
"The great thing about this... is that it saves so much power, and the less energy we use sending data, the more we have to do science!" said Robert Bohme, CEO and Founder of PTScientists.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Waqf Bill voting: BJD leaves it to conscience of RS MPs, no party whip
Bhubaneswar, Apr 3 (PTI): A day after announcing that the Biju Janata Dal would oppose the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, the party on Thursday said it has not issued any whip to its MPs about voting on the matter in Rajya Sabha.
The MPs will vote according to their conscience, BJD national spokesperson Sasmit Patra said.
The BJD has seven members in the Rajya Sabha, while no member in the Lok Sabha.
"The Biju Janata Dal has always upheld the principles of secularism and inclusivity, ensuring the rights of all communities. We deeply respect the diverse sentiments expressed by different sections of the Minority communities regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024," Patra said in a post on X.
"Our Party, having taken these views into careful consideration, has entrusted our Hon’ble Members in the Rajya Sabha with the responsibility of exercising their conscience in the best interest of justice, harmony and the rights of all communities, should the Bill come up for voting. There is no Party Whip," the post read.
Patra on Wednesday said that the BJD was opposed to some of the provisions in the Waqf Bill, 2024, as its suggestion for changes in the original draft was not accepted.
The Lok Sabha early Thursday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, after over a 12-hour debate, which saw the ruling NDA defending the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition described it as "anti-Muslim".
The Bill was passed after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes. It was passed after a division of votes -- 288 in favour and 232 against.
The Biju Janata Dal has always upheld the principles of secularism and inclusivity, ensuring the rights of all communities. We deeply respect the diverse sentiments expressed by different sections of the Minority communities regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Our Party,…
— ଡ଼ଃ ସସ୍ମିତ ପାତ୍ର I Dr. Sasmit Patra (@sasmitpatra) April 3, 2025
