JDMurray wrote: » Generally, "wireless" communication is considered to be ground-to-ground based radio communication, such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, microwave, etc. Anything Earth-to-artificial-satellite, including Earth-Moon-Earth, is considered to be "satellite" communications. In between those two are communications that are bounced off the Ionosphere. You can do all three in amateur (Ham) radio with low power and with less than $1000US in equipment. I would suggest Googling for "amateur satellite communications" and starting from there.