NASA's DSOC Experiment Achieves Farthest-Ever Optical Communication

The successful test paves the way for higher-data-rate communications, potentially transforming future deep space missions.

NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment, aboard the Psyche spacecraft, successfully transmitted and received data via laser from nearly 10 million miles away, marking the farthest-ever demonstration of optical communications.
The DSOC experiment aims to demonstrate data transmission rates 10 to 100 times greater than the current radio frequency systems used by spacecraft, which could transform future deep space missions.
Optical communication requires extremely precise 'pointing' due to the vast distances involved, and the DSOC team will now work on refining the systems that control the pointing of the downlink laser aboard the transceiver.
DSOC's successful 'first light' is a significant milestone, paving the way for higher-data-rate communications capable of sending scientific information, high-definition imagery, and streaming video in support of future human missions to Mars.
While optical communication has been demonstrated in low Earth orbit and out to the Moon, DSOC is the first test in deep space.