NASA has transferred a colossal amount of data from space to Earth, but how?


Mathilde Rochefort

May 24, 2023 at 12:35 p.m.

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TBIRD NASA © © NASA

©NASA

NASA has just taken a new step in its development of the laser communication. The TBIRD (TeraByte InfraRed Delivery) system managed to transmit 4.8 terabytes (TB) of data to Earth in one go and at a rate of 200 gigabits per second (Gbps).

With its ability to transmit large volumes of data and its high security potential, laser optical technology is considered the future of space communications.

4.8 TB at 200 Gbps throughput

Launched last year by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on NASA’s Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator 3 (PTD-3) satellite, the TBIRD system is an augmented modem that can provide reliable communication over difficult channels in free space when it is associated with a telescope and a pointing system. Developed in collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, its goal is to demonstrate how data transfer from laser communications can benefit science and exploration missions.

So far, it’s been a success. After having succeeded, on April 28, in sending 3.6 TB at a rate of 200 Gbps, he transmitted “ 4.8 TB of error-free data in a single downlink to Earth on Tuesday, May 16, still at a speed of 200 Gbps, NASA said in a tweet. A single terabyte is equivalent to approximately 500 hours of high definition video.

Currently, NASA’s most common technology for space communications is radio, but optical communication offers very high-speed capabilities, allowing more data to be included in each transmission from space. However, lasers have drawbacks: the beams are much narrower and therefore require more precise alignment between the transmitter and the receiver. Light can also be distorted by the atmosphere, which can lead to data loss. The TBIRD system was designed to overcome these problems.

TBIRD NASA © © NASA

The TeraByte InfraRed Delivery system © NASA

A technology that will be tested during the Artemis II mission

With NASA aiming for a long-term presence on the Moon and future Mars missions, more effective communications are essential to ensure smooth missions and efficient science. “, notes the space agency in a press release. With this in mind, TBIRD’s technology will be tested during the Artemis II mission, which will consist of taking four astronauts into lunar orbit.

Imagine the power of space science instruments when they can be designed to take full advantage of advances in detector speed and sensitivity, allowing artificial intelligence to mine massive amounts of data. Laser communications are the missing link that will enable the scientific discoveries of the future enthuses Beth Keer, TBIRD mission manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Source : NASA



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