Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
As astronauts travel farther into the solar system, they’ll need to send huge amounts of data back to Earth.
High-resolution imagery of the Moon, Mars, and beyond may be sent using laser-based technology that’s currently being tested in space!
The Deep Space Optical Communications experiment, known as DSOC for short, can achieve data rates comparable to those of household broadband internet by using lasers rather than traditional radio frequency communications.
The technology demonstration was launched in 2023 aboard the Psyche spacecraft, which is en route to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. DSOC achieved all of its technical goals before completing its final test in Fall 2025.
A new era of space communication starts with a beam of light ✨
As astronauts travel farther into the solar system, they’ll need to send huge amounts of data back to Earth.
High-resolution imagery of the Moon, Mars, and beyond may be sent using laser-based technology that’s currently being tested in space!
The Deep Space Optical Communications experiment, known as DSOC for short, can achieve data rates comparable to those of household broadband internet by using lasers rather than traditional radio frequency communications.
The technology demonstration was launched in 2023 aboard the Psyche spacecraft, which is en route to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. DSOC achieved all of its technical goals before completing its final test in Fall 2025.
A new era of space communication starts with a beam of light ✨
