In a first, NASA experiment transmits data via laser to and from far beyond Moon
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft (Photo: NASA)
A NASA experiment called Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) has marked a key milestone in achieving "first light," successfully transmitting and receiving datato and from far beyond the Moon using a near-infrared laser.
The experiment, which is seeking to revolutionise spacecraft communication, is part of the recently launched Psyche spacecraft.
A near-infrared laser encoded with test data was sent from a distance of nearly 10 million milesto the Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California.
The distance even surpassed the Moon-Earth distance by about 40 times. This markedthe farthest-ever demonstration of optical communications.
The experiment utilised a cutting-edge laser transceiver aboard the Psyche spacecraft to send and receive signals. This groundbreaking achievement signified a leap forward in high-bandwidth data transmission, crucial for future space missions.
Also Read |At global average temperature of 2 degrees, Earth likely to see disastrous 40 feet of sea level rise
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The successful "first light" moment occurred on November14, as the laser transceiver locked onto a powerful uplink laser beacon transmitted from the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at JPL’s Table Mountain Facility.
The collaborative effort between the transceiver and ground stations, along with automated systems, fine-tuned the laser's pointing back to Palomar.
Future missions
Trudy Kortes, director of Technology Demonstrations at NASA Headquarters, highlighted the importance of achieving "first light" as a critical milestone.
“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: sending humans to Mars,” said Kortes said.
The experiment is not transmitting Psyche mission data and DSOCoperations do not intervene with the data of the spacecraft.
The Psyche spacecraft is undergoing checkouts, testing propulsion systems, and instruments for studying the asteroid Psyche upon its arrival in 2028.
(With inputs from agencies)