NASA's Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) broke records by sending data to the moon at an impressive speed of download rate of 622 megabits per second (Mbps).
NASA has always relied on radio waves for communication but this new system is the first-ever example of two-way communication over the 239,000 miles between Earth and the moon using lasers, a NASA news release reported.
"LLCD is the first step on our roadmap toward building the next generation of space communication capability," Badri Younes, NASA's deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation (SCaN) in Washington, said. "We are encouraged by the results of the demonstration to this point, and we are confident we are on the right path to introduce this new capability into operational service soon."
Good old radio frequency (RF) communication has proven to not be able to keep up with NASA's data capacity demands. Laser communication could solve those problems, and even allow NASA to increase image resolution and improve 3-D video transmission from deep space.
"The goal of LLCD is to validate and build confidence in this technology so that future missions will consider using it," Don Cornwell, LLCD manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said. "This unique ability developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory has incredible application possibilities."
The demonstration is a "short-duration experiment and the precursor to NASA's long-duration demonstration," the news release reported. The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) will be the longer lived project, set to launch in 2017.
LLCD also demonstrated an "error-free data upload rate of 20 Mbps" from a station in New Mexico to a craft that is orbiting the moon.
The project is run and launched by the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission which was launched in Sept.
"LLCD will be NASA's first-step in creating a high performance space-based laser communications system. The LLCD mission consists of a space terminal that will reach lunar orbit as a payload aboard the LADEE spacecraft; and a robust ground segment that consists of three ground terminals in optimal locations around the globe," NASA stated on their Goddard Space Flight Center website.
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