In a groundbreaking achievement, Earth has received laser-beamed communication from a distance of 16 million kilometers (10 million miles). This is the longest demonstration of optical communications ever achieved. NASA states that the distance is around 40 times farther than the distance between the Earth and the Moon.
Abi Biswas, project technologist for DSOC at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, "Receiving first light is a tremendous achievement. The deep space laser photons from DSOC's flight transceiver aboard Psyche were successfully detected by ground equipment. We could also convey data, implying that we may interchange 'bits of light' from and to deep space."
Image: NASA
The message was sent from the Psyche spacecraft, which is currently on a mission to study the asteroid Psyche. The spacecraft is equipped with a Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) instrument, which is designed to transmit data using lasers. The mission is expected to last two years. The spacecraft is expected to reach the asteroid in 2029.
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Significance
‘’Achieving first light is one of many critical DSOC milestones in the coming months, paving the way toward higher-data-rate communications capable of sending scientific information, high-definition imagery, and streaming video in support of humanity's next giant leap,'' said Trudy Kortes, who is director of Technology Demonstrations at NASA Headquarters.
Currently, communications in deep space are done through radio signals via vast antennas on Earth which have low bandwidth. With laser communication technology over traditional radio frequency can help transmit data up to 10 to 100 times faster. Laser communication can carry more information per wavelength, allowing for the transmission of high-resolution images and videos.
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