Free-Space Optical Communication
Free-space optical communication offers high speeds, but its implementation is challenging, as discovered by Chris Edwards.
In 2012, NASA launched a probe to collect data on the rarefied dust and gas cloud around the Moon, using a new method to relay data back to Earth. Instead of radio-frequency (RF) transmissions, the team used light beams to modulate information.
Telescopes on the ground detected the blinking signals, coupling the infrared light into fibers to be decoded by electro-optic receivers. The Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) achieved a downlink speed record of over 600Mbit/s, with speeds of up to 20Mbit/s in the other direction.
Data rates have increased significantly since then, with NASA's TeraByte Infrared Delivery (TBIRD) delivering 200Gbit/s from low-Earth orbit to ground using light in 2023.
No direct quote available in the given text.
Author's summary: NASA explores free-space optical communication for high-speed data transfer.
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