NASA To Launch First Optical Communication Transmitter In Space

DSOC included in the launch of the Psyche mission (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA The Space Optical Communication Experiment (DSOC), a laser communication transmitter in space, will be launched aboard the Psyche spacecraft belonging to the United States Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA).

Previously, NASA only used radio waves in communicating. DSOC is their first experiment to switch to optical communications. With the launch of the DSOC, NASA hopes that there will be an increase in data speed with a capacity of 10 to 100 times faster than the systems they currently use.

The DSOC itself is considered as a way opener for out-of-monthbandwidth communications. With the launch of the DSOC at the same time as the Psyche mission, this transmitter will conduct the most distant test of any optical communication.

Therefore, if NASA manages to develop this technology, they can generate communication with a high data speed that has never been thought of before. It's a good possibility that the results of this test could help NASA deliver astronauts to Mars.

According to a NASA statement, the DSOC is equipped with a near-range infrared laser transmitter to transmit high-speed data to Earth. Not only sending data, but the DSOC also has a photon counter camera to receive laser beams sent from Earth.

The DSOC also has challenges in carrying out its duties. This transmitter must produce data transmission with a distance of up to 240 million miles during the Pysche plane's journey to the asteroid belt.

The further Psyche travels, the signals obtained by DSOC will be fainter and make it difficult for him to break the data code. In addition to the problem of code breaking, photons can also work longer so that they give a 20-minute gap within the furthest distance between Earth and Psyche.

Therefore, laser transmitters at Psyche and laser transmitters on Earth must face each other in a very precise direction. With this direction, the laser beam will not deviate from the target.