NASA has launched its Artemis II mission, which will use a laser-based communications system to broadcast high-resolution 4K footage from the surface of the moon. The Orion Artemis II Optical Communications (O2O) system will transmit data at speeds of up to 260 Mbps and provide the first glimpse of the far side of the moon. This technology is part of NASA’s efforts to explore the moon with advanced communication systems, which can handle high-speed transfers and efficient transmission of critical data.
The O2O system will be used in conjunction with traditional radio communications via NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN). The mission will also take advantage of clear skies at two ground stations in New Mexico and California, which are strategically chosen for their minimal cloud interference. However, astronauts may experience a 41-minute window of lost communication during the planned mission to the far side of the moon.
The technology behind O2O has already been demonstrated with a successful Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration that achieved data speeds of up to 622 Mbps. This demonstrates the capabilities of the system and its potential for future space missions, including reaching data speeds of up to 200 Gbps in nearby-Earth space projects.
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/artemis-ii-will-use-laser-beams-to-live-stream-4k-moon-footage-one-giant-step-beyond-the-s-band-radio-comms-of-the-apollo-era