NASA's Groundbreaking Gigabit Internet Speeds and Laser Communications in Space

NASA is set to deploy its laser-based, gigabit-speed space internet on the International Space Station (ISS) with the arrival of the Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T). ILLUMA-T will use NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) satellite to relay data to ground stations in Hawaii and California. While transmission speeds from the ISS to LCRD are rated at 1.2Gbps, uploads back to the ISS will be 52Mbps. NASA sees laser communications as a supplement to radio systems, offering faster speeds, smaller equipment, and more space for scientific equipment. ILLUMA-T is expected to be delivered to the ISS in November and will undergo a six-month experimental phase before becoming an operational asset.