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[slate]

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[slate]

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[slate] Hi. My name is Glenn

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Jackson. I’m the NASA LCRD Project Manager.

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[slate]

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Laser communication is going to be

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testing how we can move high bandwidth data

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to Earth. Currently we use radio frequency to move data

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and video to Earth. Laser communication increases that

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bandwidth and allows us to get more data to Earth from astronauts

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and science missions.

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[slate]

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Laser communication is a form of optical communication

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Light travels at the same speed 

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as radio frequency, but it’s a much higher wavelength.

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Smaller wavelength. We can increase the amount of data

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transmit through optical communication. We’re going to learn how it 

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transmits through the atmosphere to Earth. We’re going to learn different

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operational techniques in weather conditions and wind conditions.

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We’re also going to be doing the first bidirectional communication

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with a NASA relay called LCRD.

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[slate]

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[slate] So the public

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is not going to be able to see the lasers. They’re in the inferred spectrum

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they’re invisible to your eye. But you’ll be able to experience

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the benefits of optical communication. Laser

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communication operates at a much higher bandwidth, but it also

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... it decreases the amount of weight

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and energy needed in spacecraft, space exploration

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to communicate.

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[slate]

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[slate] So yes

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NASA communications networking will change with optical communications. 

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Optical communication increases the bandwidth capability

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to gigabytes - ten to a hundred times - more than the radio frequency

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capability we have today. This will increase our ability to 

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network in space and bring the internet around the Moon

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and Mars.

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[slate]

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You can follow along on social media and

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on the web at nasa.gov/lasercomms

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laser comms is spelled l-a-s-e-r

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c-o-m-m-s. Also this Sunday

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at 4:00 a.m. join us to watch the launch live. So LCRD

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is launching Sunday December 5th. We’ll see you on 

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NASA TV to watch the launch live. 

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