The Morse Code transmitted more than two years ago by JS1YMG, the lunar ham station of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is apparently just the beginning. Attendees at a Hamvention forum hosted by ARISS in Xenia, Ohio recently learned about a moon-based project called CAVIAR. That's an acronym for "Communications, Audio, Video and imaging using Amateur Radio." The feasibility of CAVIAR is being studied by ARISS and AMSAT through a partnership known as AREx, for Amateur Radio Exploration.
According to the early information being discussed publicly, the station could have support for voice, digital and video - with 10 GHz and 5 GHz links supported by a network of stations on Earth. More far-reaching goals can be found on the ARISS website, which describes AREx as [quote] an "international effort to develop and operate amateur radio systems for deep space, starting at the moon and later to Mars." [endquote]
