China reports two-way laser communication between Earth and Moon — ECNS
China has established a high-speed two-way laser communication link between Earth and the Moon over a distance of more than 400,000 kilometers. The link connected the DRO-A satellite with a ground station, ECNS reports, citing the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Data transmission speed
During the test, the data transmission speed to the satellite was 1.25 megabits per second, while from the satellite to Earth it was 100 megabits per second. At a speed of 100 Mbps, an 8K image of the lunar surface can be transmitted in about 12 seconds.
For comparison, transmitting such an image via a conventional microwave link at a speed of 5 Mbps would take approximately four to five minutes.
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Technical solutions
Laser communication transmits information using laser beams and provides high bandwidth, speed, precise pointing, and data transmission protection. At the same time, increasing distance makes it more difficult to maintain an accurate connection between the satellite and the ground telescope.
The research team developed a system that takes into account satellite orbits, telescope installation errors, atmospheric refraction, and laser signal travel time. Highly sensitive single-photon detectors and a signal recognition algorithm were also used to isolate useful signals from a large volume of noise. The center said the technology could be used for future crewed missions to the Moon, lunar research stations, and deep-space exploration.
