NASA streams 4K video from aircraft to space (and back) at blistering speeds using laser tech

NASA streams 4K video via laser tech from an aircraft to the ISS and back at 900 Mbps, significantly faster than average US household internet.

: NASA successfully streamed 4K video from a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to the International Space Station and back using infrared laser technology. This optical communication achieved speeds over 900 Mbps, vastly outperforming the average US household internet speed of 245 Mbps. The technology promises to enhance future Artemis missions to the Moon with real-time high-definition video. Continuous refinement of the system aims to ensure its reliability for forthcoming space exploration activities.

NASA executed an impressive feat by transmitting 4K ultra-HD video from a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to the International Space Station and back to Earth using advanced infrared laser technology. This project, led by Daniel Raible at NASA Glenn, achieved a remarkable data transmission speed of over 900 Mbps, which overwhelmingly surpasses the average US household internet speed of 245 Mbps recorded in June 2024.

The transmission journeyed from a ground station in Cleveland, Ohio, through NASA's White Sands facility in New Mexico, and then to an experimental satellite called the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD). The LCRD relayed the data to a specialized terminal aboard the ISS named ILLUMA-T, which subsequently beamed it back to Earth, showcasing the potential of optical communications for future space missions.

Continuous fine-tuning by the Glenn team after each flight test aimed to improve the system's performance, catching any issues that might have been missed in lab tests. These developments are anticipated to provide high-definition video for the Artemis missions, featuring live broadcasts of astronaut activities, thus bringing clarity and detail to off-planet exploration and habitation.

NASAlaser communicationspace tech