From the very beginning of the space age, NASA was sending the information to Earth using radio waves. However, this may change soon.
Space Agency is developing a communication system based on laser technology. It is said that new way of conveyance will secure a fast and safe transmition of information in cosmos between human-made satellite or spaceship. “While developing our aims, communication of radio waves can be burden with a huge amount of information, that’s why is needed new way to transmit information faster”- NASA describes its project.
NASA prepares to demonstrate this technology. During the experiment modules with two lasers will be used, one- in New Mexico, another- in California, they will sent information by using 1,25 Gb speed per second. This experiment will continue for two years that scientists which do an experiment can be sure that this technology lasts for a long time.
The greatest speed of transmition of information in space that was reached until now is 622 Mb per second while making another experiment. It is thought that these experiments will help to reach from 10 to 100 better speed than it is now. This speed would allow watching live translations from planets that are far away, such as Jupiter, or Saturn.
However, this innovation has disadvantages. One of them is the price which now is huge. Another problem is that laser has to be targeted precisely.This is because transmission is possible when ray is 6 km away from targeted point. “The further we travel, the more difficult it becomes” said one of the experiment scientist Bernard Edwards, however, he is still an optimist and thinks that in a near future we will be able to use this method in space out of Earth to the Moon limits.
