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The first Mars explorers, when properly equipped, will they eventually have full radio, televison, ...?
Internet, and cell phone communications with Earth? I am thinking in two or three years after the first explorers arrive. Given the power and bandwidth requirements, is Mars simply too far away for that kind of complex communications?
Mike 1942 & Warren:
Okay, delay and distance (signal strength and bandwidth) are all issues. Every problem has a potential solution, at least in principle. I can almost visualize one possible solution to the problem that would require perhaps an array of stationary satellite repeaters situated between Earth and some maximum distance out in space between Earth and Mars, and a dedicaded Earth bound network continuously transmitting pre-order information to Mars civilization. Whatever the issues, we much link Mars explorers and Earth in as close to real-time as possible.
@ Paula:
Yes, I agree that whatever the form of communications between Earth and Mars, it will never be a perfect real-time event. The speed of light will always be a limiting factor. I was thinking more in terms of Earth broadcast entertainment like radio and TV programs. As long as the signal isn't broken up or lost between Earth and Mars, the broadcasts would seem as if there was no delay between transmission and reception. That's what I met by a dedicated Earth bound network that broadcast entertainment continuously around the clock. I can't help but feel that there are still tricks to the trade that can be used to make Earth / Mars communications more immediate and user friendly. That would go along ways to keep a small population on Mars connected ...
3 Answers
- PaulaLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
Yes and No
At present the Curiosity rover can communicate with earth via an orbiting satellite --- there are actually 3 functioning ones.
I would think that a dedicated communication satellite would be placed in Mars orbit, possibly several , so that coverage was continuous.
But let's face it. If an emergency happened on Mars, it'd no point rushing to phone earth. "Geoff stopped breathing!! What do I do??" The answer you get 28 minutes later won't be timely enough to be useful. Those people are on their own.
Communication with earth has a (one way) delay of 6 minutes to about 20 minutes - depending on how far Mars is fro Earth...
So a phone call would be tedious (but possible). You'd ask a question, and then just go on talking about any inane thing for 6 to 20 minutes, then the other party would hear your question, and answer it. And then they'd have to watch/listen to your 20 minute babbling. As well he can start up a stream of his own inane talk at that time - perhaps giving a run down of what he has been doing that day or give a musical rendition on harpsicord or any diversion to pass the time.
You meanwhile would get your reply in 12 to 40 minutes after asking your question, and you'd also start getting his inane talking straight after.
I suspect most communication would be by email or equivalent.
By the way,
no amount of repeaters will shorten the time of transmission of a signal.
The signal time is a function of distance
- ?Lv 78 years ago
The minimum round trip communications delay from earth to Mars is about six minutes, while the average is about twenty five minutes. So to answer your question, NO, there can NEVER be any kind of real time voice or video communications, or internet as we know it, due to these delays. Imagine asking a question on your Marsphone, and receiving your answer almost half an hour later. Or clicking on a button on a web page, and having that much delay before the response occurs. That durn speed of light thing gets you every time!
- Mike1942fLv 78 years ago
If they have a nuclear power plant for unlimited power (and added billions of dollars to get it there and landed) then they could have anything they want - but they certainly will not have cell phone communications or interactive internet with earth because it takes (as it says here http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_time_for_rad... anything from 3 to 30 minutes for one direction communication and the shortest time only applies when Earth and Mars are close on the same side of the sun.
