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[Music]

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Since 1958,

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NASA has relied on radio wave

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technology to “talk” with missions in space.

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Today, we’re developing a

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better way to get spacecraft data

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back to Earth.

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That’s where the Laser Communications Relay

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Demonstration, or LCRD, comes in.

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Built and managed by NASA’s

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Goddard Space Flight Center,

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LCRD will send and receive

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near-infrared laser beams to and

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from Earth.

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As NASA’s first long-duration

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test of optical communications technology,

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the mission aims to perfect space and ground-based technologies.

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So, why lasers?

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Laser communications can

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transmit up to 100 times more data

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per second than previous systems

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by using a shorter wavelength of energy.

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With this increased bandwidth,

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missions can send larger files

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and even live high-definition

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video from space.

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Laser communications systems are

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smaller and more efficient than radio wave technology.

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They leave more room for science instruments,

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are cheaper to launch and require less

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energy onboard the spacecraft.

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These benefits extend to

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to receivers on the ground.

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Earth-based laser communications receivers

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can be up to 44 times smaller

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than current radio antennas.

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LCRD is the next step

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in making these technologies a reality,

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helping NASA to push the boundaries

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of scientific discovery and exploration.

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Eventually, NASA will integrate this technology

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into future missions,

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as well as share it with commercial companies.

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