- The Artemis II crew is on its way to the moon
- Its Orion spacecraft is equipped with 4K laser communications.
- High definition video streams should be possible
We’ve already seen the Artemis II crew use iPhones in space and have trouble accessing their Outlook accounts, and when they finally reach lunar orbit, we should be treated to some high-resolution 4K images of the lunar surface.
Astronauts fly near the moon rather than landing on it, but thanks to laser technology developed in part by MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory (via BBC Sky at Night Magazine), they have best-in-class technology for reporting.
Space missions have traditionally used radio frequency (RF) communications, but the spectrums they use are now very congested and it is no longer the best technology we have for transmitting data over long distances (to the Moon and back, for example).
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“Laser communication is a solution that could solve this problem, and the lab is an expert in this field, which was really a pioneer here,” says Farzana Khatri, lead systems engineer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.
The moon in the United Kingdom.
“I’m the space plumber, I’m proud to call myself the space plumber.” Mission specialists like @Astro_Christina train for all roles so they can step in where needed. Sometimes that means repairing vital machinery, like the spaceship’s bathroom. pic.twitter.com/RGBWkwRgX7April 3, 2026
If all goes according to plan, we should be able to enjoy “high-definition videos from the moon” for the next few days. Think something similar in quality to a premium Netflix stream, only from the real moon instead of a mediocre sci-fi movie.
The system in use is the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O), and comprises several complex instruments, including a gimbal-mounted telescope that can direct laser beams back to the NASA base.
“You can imagine Artemis astronauts using video conferencing to connect with doctors, coordinate mission activities, and livestream their lunar journeys,” says Jane Wang, also a member of the team that developed the system.
The actual capture will be done with Nikon cameras included in the astronauts’ kit. In addition to sending photos, audio and video from the mission, the laser links will be able to transmit real-time diagnostic reports to and from Orion.
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