NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — An experiment conducted on NASA‘s Psyche spacecraft has set a record for transmitting messages using lasers over long distances in deep space. This technological breakthrough, carried out by Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC), has the potential to redefine the standards for communication between spacecraft.
As part of the two-year experiment, DSOC sent a near-infrared laser beam to the Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory from a distance of about 16 million kilometers. This is 40 times further than the distance between the Moon and Earth.
The test data was encoded into the beam, providing a unique opportunity to transmit information over record distances.
DSOC is conducting a technology demonstration aboard the Psyche spacecraft en route to the Psyche asteroid. The successful completion of the experiment on November 14 was confirmed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
The maneuver, in which the laser transceiver was fixed on the JPL laser beacon at the Table Mountain Observatory, allowed the laser signal to be transmitted 130 kilometers to the Caltech observatory.
Unlike traditional communication methods (via radio waves), laser communication allows for the transfer of huge amounts of data at incredible speeds.
The laser beams used by DSOC can pack data into denser wavelengths, allowing messages to be transmitted using infrared beams.
This technological breakthrough enables the transition to faster and more efficient communications in deep space. The transfer of large volumes of data will enable the use of high-resolution scientific instruments on future missions.
Additionally, the possibility of live video broadcasts from the surface of Mars is becoming more feasible, providing a unique perspective for exploration and interaction with the far reaches of space.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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