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NASA’S LASER COMMUNICATION BREAKTHROUGH

Why in the News?

• NASA’s Psyche spacecraft successfully transmitted a laser signal to Earth from over 16 million km away.
• Psyche is en route to study a metal-rich asteroid between Mars and Jupiter, offering insights into Earth’s iron core.

Source: Indian Express

Deep Space Communication Challenge

• Spacecraft face challenges in transmitting vast data over long distances while moving rapidly.
• Current communication primarily relies on radio waves with limitations on bandwidth.

NASA’s DSOC Experiment

• NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment pioneers near-infrared laser signals for spacecraft communication.
• DSOC promises data rates at least 10 times higher than existing radio systems, allowing large-volume data transfer.

First-of-its-Kind Technology

• Psyche is the first spacecraft equipped with a DSOC transceiver, testing high-bandwidth optical communication during its journey.
• DSOC’s precision pointing and signal-processing techniques enable efficient communication despite higher bandwidth limitations.

Transformation in Space Travel

• DSOC’s deep space application marks a significant advancement beyond Earth-orbiting satellites.
• Improved communication technologies are crucial for future deep-space explorations, aligning with humanity’s goals of reaching Mars.

Significance for Mars Mission

• Trudy Kortes from NASA emphasizes DSOC milestones as critical for humanity’s next giant leap—sending humans to Mars.
• Achieving “first light” showcases the potential of DSOC in transforming space travel and communication systems for ambitious interplanetary missions.