NASA has set a new communication speed record to and from the moon with a 622Mbps transfer carried over laser beams. The space agency used what it calls pulsed lasers to transfer data between a station in New Mexico, and a spaceship 239,000 miles away during its recent Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD). NASA was able to upload error-free data to the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), which is currently orbiting the moon, at a rate of 20Mbps.
According to a NASA press release:
"LLCD is the first step on our roadmap toward building the next generation of space communication capability," said Badri Younes, NASA's deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation (SCaN) in Washington. "We are encouraged by the results of the demonstration to this point, and we are confident we are on the right path to introduce this new capability into operational service soon."
Earlier in the year, NASA shot the Mona Lisa into space using a laser beam. However, the agency only managed to reach a rate of 300 bits per second. The development of this new laser communication system will allow NASA to increase its communication capabilities along with increased 3D video transmission and high-definition images from the depth of space. Just imagine NASA sending crystal clear full high definition images of Mars surface back to Earth for our consumption.
"The goal of LLCD is to validate and build confidence in this technology so that future missions will consider using it," said Don Cornwell, LLCD manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md, in a NASA press release. "This unique ability developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory has incredible application possibilities."
At the moment, there's no set date for this technology to be used in NASA missions in the future. However, Younes says the agency is "on the right path to introduce this new capability into operational service soon."
It is not certain how soon the agency plans to deploy its new laser beam communication technology. Let's hope "soon" means months instead of years, as we're all hoping to view the solar system in full and beautiful high definition.
