Can I text on my cell phone from the ISS to Earth?












3














We know from Can we detect the cell phone, satellite phone, or walkie talkie of someone walking on Mars from Earth? that cell phone signals on Mars are potentially observable on Earth.



I am not an expert, and assume that the ISS is moving to fast for a cell phone to establish a connection to cell tower(s) that would allow for a phone call. But what about a text message?



Would it be possible to send a text to someone on Earth from the ISS using a standard cell phone?






iss communication







share|improve this question


















  • 2




    It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
    – James Jenkins
    2 hours ago










  • Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
    – Uwe
    2 hours ago










  • Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
    – uhoh
    2 hours ago


















3














We know from Can we detect the cell phone, satellite phone, or walkie talkie of someone walking on Mars from Earth? that cell phone signals on Mars are potentially observable on Earth.



I am not an expert, and assume that the ISS is moving to fast for a cell phone to establish a connection to cell tower(s) that would allow for a phone call. But what about a text message?



Would it be possible to send a text to someone on Earth from the ISS using a standard cell phone?






iss communication







share|improve this question


















  • 2




    It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
    – James Jenkins
    2 hours ago










  • Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
    – Uwe
    2 hours ago










  • Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
    – uhoh
    2 hours ago
















3












3








3







We know from Can we detect the cell phone, satellite phone, or walkie talkie of someone walking on Mars from Earth? that cell phone signals on Mars are potentially observable on Earth.



I am not an expert, and assume that the ISS is moving to fast for a cell phone to establish a connection to cell tower(s) that would allow for a phone call. But what about a text message?



Would it be possible to send a text to someone on Earth from the ISS using a standard cell phone?






iss communication







share|improve this question













We know from Can we detect the cell phone, satellite phone, or walkie talkie of someone walking on Mars from Earth? that cell phone signals on Mars are potentially observable on Earth.



I am not an expert, and assume that the ISS is moving to fast for a cell phone to establish a connection to cell tower(s) that would allow for a phone call. But what about a text message?



Would it be possible to send a text to someone on Earth from the ISS using a standard cell phone?






iss communication




iss communication






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 3 hours ago









James Jenkins

12.1k1469189




12.1k1469189








  • 2




    It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
    – James Jenkins
    2 hours ago










  • Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
    – Uwe
    2 hours ago










  • Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
    – uhoh
    2 hours ago
















  • 2




    It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
    – Don Branson
    3 hours ago










  • I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
    – James Jenkins
    2 hours ago










  • Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
    – Uwe
    2 hours ago










  • Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
    – uhoh
    2 hours ago










2




2




It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
– Don Branson
3 hours ago




It's an easy 2-step process! Step 1, go to the ISS... :) But seriously, interesting question.
– Don Branson
3 hours ago












I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
– Don Branson
3 hours ago




I assume you'd just be too far from any towers, unless there's some specially-built repeater on board.
– Don Branson
3 hours ago












I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
– James Jenkins
2 hours ago




I find references suggesting a 45 mile range for cell phones, with the ISS coming as close as 200 miles from Earth, it is plausible.
– James Jenkins
2 hours ago












Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
– Uwe
2 hours ago




Bandwidth and data rate of a cell phone on Mars would be too high and transmitter power too small for the huge distance from Mars to Earth, But a cell phone without a cell tower nearby would not transmitt anyway. If the cell phone in the ISS uses the normal data rate for a small text message, it would be too fast for the distance. The antenna of a cell tower just below the ISS would be optimized for phone on the surface of Earth but not vertically above the tower. The delay from tower to phone at the ISS and back would be too long for the transmission protocol.
– Uwe
2 hours ago












Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
– uhoh
2 hours ago






Latency is one problem to contend with. For example, GSM has a hard cut off at 35 km due to the maximum time-shifting allowed in the protocol. cell towers are directional, not necessarily "looking up" to the sky... Put a big aluminum foil parabola behind you and stand in front of the Cupola window?
– uhoh
2 hours ago












1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















4














No.




  • 200 km is the shortest distance, but at that distance you're outside the main lobe of the ground station antenna. Cellular traffic is usually at an elevation below the antenna (which sits on a tower), so the antenna main lobe is aimed in the horizontal direction or slightly below. When you're overhead, you're at 90º relative to the main lobe, and the antenna is much less sensitive in this direction.


  • the ISS appears above the horizon maybe 5 minutes before it's at the zenith. It's 2300 km away at that point. (28000 km/h/12) At this point, it's in the main lobe of your ground station, but 30 times too far away to be heard.


  • Cell towers in populated areas are designed to have a limited range: you don't want a tower 5 km away to interfere with a tower only 1 km away. The only places where you'll find long-range cell towers is in sparsely populated areas.


  • depending on the network you're using, there may be physical limitations (GSM has a limit of 35 km)


  • your standard cell phone on the ISS is inside a metal can, so its signal will be attenuated a lot. Putting an antenna outside isn't enough to get coverage though.


  • a typical cell is 1-5 km across. If we use 5 km, the ISS spends 0.6 seconds in a cell. Handovers (to the next tower) will be a problem. Setup/teardown of the SMS transmission takes time too.


  • nobody is going to set up a cell tower with 150 km range: only 30 km is usable on the ground (signals are line of sight, and 30 km is the horizon), so in all cases the range of the tower is far short of what you need.







share|improve this answer





















  • How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
    – TylerH
    3 mins ago











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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes









4














No.




  • 200 km is the shortest distance, but at that distance you're outside the main lobe of the ground station antenna. Cellular traffic is usually at an elevation below the antenna (which sits on a tower), so the antenna main lobe is aimed in the horizontal direction or slightly below. When you're overhead, you're at 90º relative to the main lobe, and the antenna is much less sensitive in this direction.


  • the ISS appears above the horizon maybe 5 minutes before it's at the zenith. It's 2300 km away at that point. (28000 km/h/12) At this point, it's in the main lobe of your ground station, but 30 times too far away to be heard.


  • Cell towers in populated areas are designed to have a limited range: you don't want a tower 5 km away to interfere with a tower only 1 km away. The only places where you'll find long-range cell towers is in sparsely populated areas.


  • depending on the network you're using, there may be physical limitations (GSM has a limit of 35 km)


  • your standard cell phone on the ISS is inside a metal can, so its signal will be attenuated a lot. Putting an antenna outside isn't enough to get coverage though.


  • a typical cell is 1-5 km across. If we use 5 km, the ISS spends 0.6 seconds in a cell. Handovers (to the next tower) will be a problem. Setup/teardown of the SMS transmission takes time too.


  • nobody is going to set up a cell tower with 150 km range: only 30 km is usable on the ground (signals are line of sight, and 30 km is the horizon), so in all cases the range of the tower is far short of what you need.







share|improve this answer





















  • How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
    – TylerH
    3 mins ago
















4














No.




  • 200 km is the shortest distance, but at that distance you're outside the main lobe of the ground station antenna. Cellular traffic is usually at an elevation below the antenna (which sits on a tower), so the antenna main lobe is aimed in the horizontal direction or slightly below. When you're overhead, you're at 90º relative to the main lobe, and the antenna is much less sensitive in this direction.


  • the ISS appears above the horizon maybe 5 minutes before it's at the zenith. It's 2300 km away at that point. (28000 km/h/12) At this point, it's in the main lobe of your ground station, but 30 times too far away to be heard.


  • Cell towers in populated areas are designed to have a limited range: you don't want a tower 5 km away to interfere with a tower only 1 km away. The only places where you'll find long-range cell towers is in sparsely populated areas.


  • depending on the network you're using, there may be physical limitations (GSM has a limit of 35 km)


  • your standard cell phone on the ISS is inside a metal can, so its signal will be attenuated a lot. Putting an antenna outside isn't enough to get coverage though.


  • a typical cell is 1-5 km across. If we use 5 km, the ISS spends 0.6 seconds in a cell. Handovers (to the next tower) will be a problem. Setup/teardown of the SMS transmission takes time too.


  • nobody is going to set up a cell tower with 150 km range: only 30 km is usable on the ground (signals are line of sight, and 30 km is the horizon), so in all cases the range of the tower is far short of what you need.







share|improve this answer





















  • How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
    – TylerH
    3 mins ago














4












4








4






No.




  • 200 km is the shortest distance, but at that distance you're outside the main lobe of the ground station antenna. Cellular traffic is usually at an elevation below the antenna (which sits on a tower), so the antenna main lobe is aimed in the horizontal direction or slightly below. When you're overhead, you're at 90º relative to the main lobe, and the antenna is much less sensitive in this direction.


  • the ISS appears above the horizon maybe 5 minutes before it's at the zenith. It's 2300 km away at that point. (28000 km/h/12) At this point, it's in the main lobe of your ground station, but 30 times too far away to be heard.


  • Cell towers in populated areas are designed to have a limited range: you don't want a tower 5 km away to interfere with a tower only 1 km away. The only places where you'll find long-range cell towers is in sparsely populated areas.


  • depending on the network you're using, there may be physical limitations (GSM has a limit of 35 km)


  • your standard cell phone on the ISS is inside a metal can, so its signal will be attenuated a lot. Putting an antenna outside isn't enough to get coverage though.


  • a typical cell is 1-5 km across. If we use 5 km, the ISS spends 0.6 seconds in a cell. Handovers (to the next tower) will be a problem. Setup/teardown of the SMS transmission takes time too.


  • nobody is going to set up a cell tower with 150 km range: only 30 km is usable on the ground (signals are line of sight, and 30 km is the horizon), so in all cases the range of the tower is far short of what you need.







share|improve this answer












No.




  • 200 km is the shortest distance, but at that distance you're outside the main lobe of the ground station antenna. Cellular traffic is usually at an elevation below the antenna (which sits on a tower), so the antenna main lobe is aimed in the horizontal direction or slightly below. When you're overhead, you're at 90º relative to the main lobe, and the antenna is much less sensitive in this direction.


  • the ISS appears above the horizon maybe 5 minutes before it's at the zenith. It's 2300 km away at that point. (28000 km/h/12) At this point, it's in the main lobe of your ground station, but 30 times too far away to be heard.


  • Cell towers in populated areas are designed to have a limited range: you don't want a tower 5 km away to interfere with a tower only 1 km away. The only places where you'll find long-range cell towers is in sparsely populated areas.


  • depending on the network you're using, there may be physical limitations (GSM has a limit of 35 km)


  • your standard cell phone on the ISS is inside a metal can, so its signal will be attenuated a lot. Putting an antenna outside isn't enough to get coverage though.


  • a typical cell is 1-5 km across. If we use 5 km, the ISS spends 0.6 seconds in a cell. Handovers (to the next tower) will be a problem. Setup/teardown of the SMS transmission takes time too.


  • nobody is going to set up a cell tower with 150 km range: only 30 km is usable on the ground (signals are line of sight, and 30 km is the horizon), so in all cases the range of the tower is far short of what you need.








share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 2 hours ago









Hobbes

85.5k2242387




85.5k2242387












  • How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
    – TylerH
    3 mins ago


















  • How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
    – TylerH
    3 mins ago
















How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
– TylerH
3 mins ago




How long would an antenna outside the station have to be in order for it to pick up a decent signal at its shortest distance? A 170km antenna?
– TylerH
3 mins ago


















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