{"id":260532,"date":"2022-07-18T11:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T15:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=260532"},"modified":"2023-03-28T11:34:38","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T15:34:38","slug":"laser-terminal-bound-for-space-station-arrives-at-nasa-goddard-for-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/tech-demonstration\/laser-terminal-bound-for-space-station-arrives-at-nasa-goddard-for-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Laser Terminal Bound for Space Station Arrives at NASA Goddard for Testing"},"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-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/image-article\/laser-terminal-bound-space-station-arrives-nasa-goddard-testing\/\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1041\" height=\"694\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?w=1041\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA\u2019s ILLUMA-T payload in final assembly and testing at the agency\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \" 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\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?resize=900,600 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA\u2019s ILLUMA-T payload, bound for the International Space Station, is in final assembly and testing at the agency\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Soon the International Space Station will get a laser light terminal: Beams of invisible infrared light will soar through the atmosphere, capable of communicating pictures and videos from astronauts and experiments on the space station, thanks to NASA\u2019s brand-new laser terminal called ILLUMA-T (pronounced \u201cill-LOO-mah-TEA\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In May, ILLUMA-T (formally the \u201cIntegrated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/goddard\/2021\/laser-communications-relay-demonstration-6-things-you-need-to-know\/\">Laser Communications Relay Demonstration<\/a>\u00a0Low-Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal\u201d) arrived at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/goddard\">NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/a>\u00a0in Greenbelt, Maryland. There, the payload is undergoing final assembly and testing to ensure it can withstand the rigors of a rocket launch and the extreme environment of space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to its arrival at Goddard, the ILLUMA-T payload was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u2019s (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory, where it was designed and partially built for NASA\u2019s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) office. NASA has partnered with MIT Lincoln Laboratory on many missions, including the recent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/goddard\/2022\/cubesat-set-to-demonstrate-nasas-fastest-laser-link-from-space\/\">TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD)<\/a>\u00a0payload.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once installed on the space station, ILLUMA-T will use\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/lasercomms\">laser communications<\/a>\u00a0to relay data to and from Earth via NASA\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/tdm\/lcrd\/index.html\">Laser Communications Relay Demonstration<\/a>\u00a0(LCRD). Lasers offer missions higher data rates than traditional radio waves. That means more science and exploration data can be sent to Earth in a single transmission. The shift from radio frequency to laser communications is similar to switching from dial-up to high-speed internet. \u00a0<\/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-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?w=1920\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"ILLUMA-T and LCRD communicating over red laser links.\" 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\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/microsoftteams-image-77.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">LCRD communicating with ILLUMA-T over laser links. <\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA \/ Dave Ryan<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its completion in 1998, the space station has relied on NASA\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/services\/networks\/tdrs_main\">Tracking and Data Relay Satellites<\/a>\u00a0to provide radio frequency communications and send data to and from the Earth. After its initial experiment phase with LCRD, ILLUMA-T could be used to substantially increase data to and from the space station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The ILLUMA-T payload is managed by NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Partners include the International Space Station program office at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. ILLUMA-T is funded by the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program at NASA Headquarters in Washington.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-about-the-author nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-6 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-about-the-author\"><div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-x-0 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black padding-top-3\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h3 class=\"heading-14\">About the Author<\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"grid-row grid-container padding-x-0 maxw-widescreen\"><div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-9\"><div class=\"grid-row\"><div class=\"hds-author-thumbnail mobile:circle-6 mobile:maxw-6 circle-card maxw-card thumbnail margin-right-2 desktop:margin-right-5\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"10rem\" height=\"10rem\" loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" class=\"avatar avatar-300 photo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cropped-microsoftteams-image-14-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Katherine Schauer\"><\/div><div class=\"grid-col\"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-29 line-height-sm\">Katherine Schauer<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"padding-y-2\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"desktop:grid-col-6 desktop:padding-right-9\"><p class=\"margin-top-0\">Katherine Schauer is a writer for the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program office and covers emerging technologies, commercialization efforts, exploration activities, and more.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Soon the International Space Station will get a laser light terminal: Beams of invisible infrared light will soar through the atmosphere, capable of communicating pictures and videos from astronauts and experiments on the space station, thanks to NASA\u2019s brand-new laser terminal called ILLUMA-T (pronounced \u201cill-LOO-mah-TEA\u201d). In May, ILLUMA-T (formally the \u201cIntegrated\u00a0Laser Communications Relay Demonstration\u00a0Low-Earth Orbit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":239,"featured_media":217059,"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":"","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":[3207,3315,2788],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[10602],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Laser Terminal Bound for Space Station Arrives at NASA Goddard for Testing","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/tech-demonstration\/laser-terminal-bound-for-space-station-arrives-at-nasa-goddard-for-testing\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/tech-demonstration\/laser-terminal-bound-for-space-station-arrives-at-nasa-goddard-for-testing\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katherine Schauer"}],"creator":["Katherine Schauer"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Technology Demonstration","Laser Communications Relay","Space Communications & Navigation Program"],"dateCreated":"2022-07-18T15:27:00Z","datePublished":"2022-07-18T15:27:00Z","dateModified":"2023-03-28T15:34:38Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Laser Terminal Bound for Space Station Arrives at NASA Goddard for Testing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/tech-demonstration\/laser-terminal-bound-for-space-station-arrives-at-nasa-goddard-for-testing\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2022-07-18T15:27:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Technology Demonstration,Laser Communications Relay,Space Communications & Navigation Program\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Katherine Schauer\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":2,"time_ago":"2 years","featured_image":{"id":217059,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/compressedillumat.jpg","title":"Laser Terminal Bound for Space Station Arrives at NASA Goddard for Testing","alt":"NASA\u2019s ILLUMA-T payload in final assembly and testing at the agency\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 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