NASA just combined all of my best-loved things : space , lasers , and true cat . In a first - of - its - kind presentment of cryptical space ocular communication , the outer space agency well out a eminent - definition video from 19 million mi off from Earth . And as it turn out , NASA is just as haunted as we are when it comes to sharing cat videos .
On December 11 , a gold - capped laser transceiver attached to NASA ’s asteroid probe Psyche beam a 15 - second - long television of an orange tabby guy name Taters chasing a laser pointer up and down a couch , the space agencyrevealedthis calendar week . The feline live flow broke the record for the longest distance cover by information - encoded laser beams—80 times the distance between Earth and the Moon — as NASA prepares to advance its communication accomplishment for deep space missions .
The whizz of the video is actually the deary of a NASA employee . Footage of Taters is overlay with graphics that illustrate several features from the technology demonstration , such as Psyche ’s orbital path , and technical information about the laser and its data point bit pace . It also displays more information about Taters , admit its heart rate , color , and stock .
Gif: NASA/JPL-Caltch/Gizmodo
The video recording is not only so adorable that I could DIE , but it also demonstrated NASA ’s power to transmit data encode in optical maser from farther distance within rich outer space . We could n’t think of a respectable video representative to service as the first high - definition stream sent via laser from bass space .
NASA ’s Deep Space Optical Communications ( DSOC ) experimentation launched on board thePsyche spacecraft on October 13as the first demonstration of laser , or opthalmic , communications from as far away as Mars . In November , theinstrument meet its first lightand beamed information encode within a near - infrared laser from nearly 10 million miles forth from Earth .
For its latest presentment , the optical maser transceiver beamed its encoded near - infrared optical maser to the Hale Telescope in San Diego County , California , at a maximal bit rate of 267 megabits per second . The TV took 101 seconds to reach Earth , and each frame from the looping picture was well out live to NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) in Southern California , where the footage of Taters ’ optical maser - track adventures play out in material sentence .
The team receiving the first high-definition stream to be sent via laser from deep space.Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech
“ Despite transmitting from meg of miles away , it was able to send the video quicker than most wideband internet connection , ” Ryan Rogalin , the project ’s receiver electronics lead-in at JPL , said in a statement . “ In fact , after incur the video at Palomar , it was sent to JPL over the net , and that connection was dense than the sign come up from deep space . ”
Optical communication system pack data into the vibration of light wave in optical maser , encoding a message into an optical sign that is hold to a receiver through infrared beams that the human optic ca n’t see . Although optical maser have been used totransmit data from Earth orbitand the Moon , the recent test score the farthest space cover by the laser shaft of light . “ JPL ’s DesignLab did an amazing job helping us showcase this technology — everyone loves Irish potato , ” Rogalin added .
NASA normally uses radio moving ridge to intercommunicate with its missions that are locate beyond the Moon , but well-nigh - infrared ignitor packs datum into significantly tighter waves , which allows for more data to be post and received . The DSOC experimentation aims to manifest datum transmission rate 10 to 100 times greater than current radio frequency systems used by ballistic capsule today , accord to NASA . optic communications does become more thought-provoking over longer distances as it requires uttermost precision to designate the laser beam .
“ When we achieved first light , we were activated , but also cautious . This is a new technology , and we are experimenting with how it works , ” Ken Andrews , project flight operation chair at JPL , enjoin in a command . “ But now , with the help of our Psyche colleagues , we are getting used to function with the system and can lock in onto the spacecraft and land terminals for longer than we could previously . We are learning something new during each checkout . ”
The principal purpose of the Psyche spacecraft is to explore and study the unparalleled metallic asteroid Psyche , providing perceptivity into the history of planet formation and core dynamics . The farther aside Psyche travels on its way to its asteroid quarry , the fainter the laser photon signal will become . Although the task is set to become more challenging , the team behind the experiment is still dandy on having some fun with it .
“ One of the finish is to demonstrate the ability to transmit wideband telecasting across 1000000 of miles . Nothing on Psyche generates video data , so we usually send packets of randomly generated trial information , ” Bill Klipstein , the tech demonstration ’s project managing director at JPL , said in a program line . “ But to make this significant event more memorable , we decided to work with designers at JPL to create a fun video , which captures the essence of the demo as part of the Psyche mission . ”
For more spaceflight in your sprightliness , keep an eye on us onX(formerly Twitter ) and bookmark Gizmodo ’s dedicatedSpaceflight page .
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