{"id":526851,"date":"2023-09-27T15:26:39","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T19:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=526851"},"modified":"2024-02-14T15:38:36","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T20:38:36","slug":"radio-vs-optical-spectrum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/space-communications-navigation-program\/radio-vs-optical-spectrum\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio vs Optical Spectrum"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"824\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png 3300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=300,121 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=768,309 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=1024,412 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=1536,618 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=2048,824 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=400,161 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=600,241 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=900,362 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=1200,483 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/spectrum_radio_graphic_web.png?resize=2000,804 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Radio Spectrum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic building block of radio communications is a radio wave. Radio waves have the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. Like waves on a pond, a radio wave is a series of repeating peaks and valleys. The entire pattern of a wave, before it repeats itself, is called a cycle. The wavelength is the distance a wave takes to complete one cycle. The number of cycles, or times that a wave repeats in a second, is called frequency. Frequency is measured in the unit hertz (Hz), referring to a number of cycles per second. One thousand hertz is referred to as a kilohertz (kHz), 1 million hertz as a megahertz (MHz), and 1 billion hertz as a gigahertz (GHz). The range of the radio spectrum is considered to be 3 kilohertz up to 3,000 gigahertz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A radio wave is generated by a transmitter and then detected by a receiver. An antenna allows a radio transmitter to send energy into space and a receiver to pick up energy from space. Transmitters and receivers are typically designed to operate over a limited range of frequencies.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?w=985\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"spectrum_optical_graphic_web.png\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=300,119 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=768,304 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=400,158 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=600,238 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-optical-graphic-web.png?resize=900,356 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Optical Spectrum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Optical communications use light as a means of transmitting information over long distances. Within the context of NASA, optical communications technology sends data across space using lasers instead of radio frequencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) will use optical transceivers both on the ground and in space to send and receive information. The transceivers will be able to utilize many of the composite portions of the optical spectrum through the implementation of signal modulation. Currently, optical spectrum is not regulated, however SCaN collaborates with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/space-communications-navigation-program\/scan-partners\/\">international working groups.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-center nasa-button-link padding-y-1 padding-x-0 hds-module wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/communicating-with-missions\/lasercomms\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"button-primary button-primary-md link-external-true\" aria-label=\"Optical Communications\">\n\t\t<span class=\"line-height-alt-1\">Optical Communications<\/span>\n\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"button-primary-circle\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Radio Spectrum The basic building block of radio communications is a radio wave. Radio waves have the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. Like waves on a pond, a radio wave is a series of repeating peaks and valleys. The entire pattern of a wave, before it repeats itself, is called a cycle. The wavelength [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":522775,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"297758","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3315],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[12277],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Radio vs Optical Spectrum","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/space-communications-navigation-program\/radio-vs-optical-spectrum\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/space-communications-navigation-program\/radio-vs-optical-spectrum\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-radio-graphic-web.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-radio-graphic-web.png"},"articleSection":"NASA Directorates","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jermaine Walker"}],"creator":["Jermaine Walker"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Space Operations Mission Directorate","Space Communications & Navigation Program"],"dateCreated":"2023-09-27T19:26:39Z","datePublished":"2023-09-27T19:26:39Z","dateModified":"2024-02-14T20:38:36Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Radio vs Optical Spectrum\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/somd\/space-communications-navigation-program\/radio-vs-optical-spectrum\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-radio-graphic-web.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-09-27T19:26:39Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Directorates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Space Operations Mission Directorate,Space Communications & Navigation Program\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jermaine Walker\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":2,"time_ago":"9 months","featured_image":{"id":522775,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/spectrum-radio-graphic-web.png","title":"spectrum-radio-graphic-web","alt":"Graphic displaying the bandwidths of the radio spectrum.","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/526851"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/423"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=526851"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/526851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":615195,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/526851\/revisions\/615195"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/522775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=526851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=526851"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=526851"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=526851"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=526851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}