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NASA Tests Breakthrough Laser ...This technology is expected to revolutionize coverage of future space missions, including the Artemis mission
By streaming 4K video footage from an airplane to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has successfully tested laser-based data transmission. This is a significant milestone in space communications. This breakthrough experiment is an important stride towards optical communications that is anticipated to revolutionize the transmission of data between Earth, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The experiment involved equipping an aircraft with a portable laser system, which then flew over Lake Erie to deliver high-resolution video to NASA's Cleveland Center. The information was then transmitted via a terrestrial communications system to NASA’s New Mexico facility. The scientists then sent the message to a Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) satellite in an orbit 22,000 kilometers away. The LCRD sent data to the Integrated Laser Communication Relay Display (ILLUMA-T) terminal on the ISS. Using infrared light, laser communication offers significant advantages over conventional radio waves by transmitting data 10 to 100 times faster. This technology is expected to revolutionize coverage of future space missions, including the Artemis mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2028.
With the possibility of a clear 4K live stream of lunar astronauts, this development calls forth a novel era in space communications, paving the way for more advanced communications in the exploration of our solar system.