NASA's ILLUMA-T Terminal Successfully Connected With LCRD Satellite

JAKARTA The United States Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) announced that the terminals and satellites they developed were successfully connected and completed the laser relay system in orbit.

These two communication devices are the Launch Communications Relations Demonstration (LCRD) and Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T). Both exchanged data for the first time on Tuesday, December 5 last.

Although LCRD and ILLUMA-T were launched in different years, both are still on one program, namely Space Communication and Navigation (SCAN). With this terminal and satellite connected, NASA believes that laser communications can be beneficial for exploration missions.

The first relationship between ILLUMA-T and LCRD, known as the first light, is the latest demonstration proving that laser communications are the future, said SCAN's Director of Communication and Navigation Technology, Jason Mitchell.

Furthermore, Mitchell said that laser communications generated from these two technologies would provide more data to Earth. In addition, both of them can maintain ties between NASA and its astronauts while exploring the Moon, Mars, and the surrounding region.

The ILMUMA-T was launched on November 9 using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. After arriving in orbit, technicians tried to connect the LCRD that had been launched since 2021. As a result, LCRD and ILLUMA-T were able to exchange data at a speed of 1.2Gb per second.

Despite the technical challenges in connecting the two, the SCAN team managed to overcome it quickly. To date, they believe that LCRD and ILLUMA-T can be used to optimize data entry from exploration and science.