NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications Achieves Milestone with 140 Million Mile Data Transmission

The Psyche spacecraft successfully transmits engineering data over vast distances, showcasing potential for future high-data-rate space communications.

• NASA's Psyche spacecraft, equipped with Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC), transmits engineering data from 140 million miles away.
• The DSOC system, achieving speeds up to 267 Mbps, demonstrates capabilities far beyond current radio frequency systems.
• This technology could enhance future missions with high-definition video and complex scientific data transmission.
• Optical communications require clear skies, unlike radio systems, posing challenges and opportunities for data transmission in adverse weather.
• NASA's experiments with DSOC also include 'turnaround experiments' sending data to space and back, testing the system's robustness.

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