NASA and Australia’s ANU are teaming up to push laser communications to the Moon, using a budget-friendly transceiver built from off-the-shelf parts.
If successful on Artemis II, the tech could beam 4K video and rich data back to Earth at record speed, proving deep-space lasers are ready for prime time and reshaping how future crews connect from the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Artemis II: Pioneering Lunar Laser Links
NASA is gearing up for the Artemis II mission, and engineers at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland have teamed up with The Australian National University to test a fresh, budget-friendly way to beam data between Earth and the Moon.
Most spacecraft send information by radio, but lasers can move data 10 to 100 times faster. Using invisible infrared light, these optical systems promise to deliver sharp video, crystal-clear voice, and detailed science readings across hundreds of thousands of miles in just seconds. NASA has already proven the basics in earlier trials, yet Artemis II will mark the first time astronauts try laser communications from deep space.
Key to the demo is the Real Time Optical Receiver, or RealTOR. Glenn researchers built this laser transceiver almost entirely from common off-the-shelf parts, keeping costs low without sacrificing performance. After a successful round of tests in Cleveland, the same hardware is now being replicated with ANU experts so they can catch the Artemis II signal during the mission’s flight around the Moon.
Cost-Saving RealTOR Transceiver Breakthrough
“Australia’s upcoming lunar experiment could showcase the capability, affordability, and reproducibility of the deep space receiver engineered by Glenn,” said Jennifer Downey, co-principal investigator for the RealTOR project at NASA Glenn. “It’s an important step in proving the feasibility of using commercial parts to develop accessible technologies for sustainable exploration beyond Earth.”
During Artemis II, which is scheduled for early 2026, NASA will fly an optical communications system aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will test using lasers to send data across the cosmos. During the mission, NASA will attempt to transmit recorded 4K ultra-high-definition video, flight procedures, pictures, science data, and voice communications from the Moon to Earth.
Nearly 10,000 miles from Cleveland, ANU researchers working at the Mount Stromlo Observatory ground station hope to receive data during Orion’s journey around the Moon using the Glenn-developed transceiver model. This ground station will serve as a test location for the new transceiver design and will not be one of the mission’s primary ground stations. If the test is successful, it will prove that commercial parts can be used to build affordable, scalable space communication systems for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
ANU Ground Test & Global Network Expansion
“Engaging with The Australian National University to expand commercial laser communications offerings across the world will further demonstrate how this advanced satellite communications capability is ready to support the agency’s networks and missions as we set our sights on deep space exploration,” said Marie Piasecki, technology portfolio manager for NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program.
As NASA continues to investigate the feasibility of using commercial parts to engineer ground stations, Glenn researchers will continue to provide critical support in preparation for Australia’s demonstration.
Strong global partnerships advance technology breakthroughs and are instrumental as NASA expands humanity’s reach from the Moon to Mars, while fueling innovations that improve life on Earth. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
SCaN Optical Communications Portfoli
The RealTOR project is one aspect of the optical communications portfolio within NASA’s SCaN Program, which includes demonstrations and in-space experiment platforms to test the viability of infrared light for sending data to and from space. These include the LCOT (Low-Cost Optical Terminal) project, the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, and more. NASA Glenn manages the project under the direction of agency’s SCaN Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
The Australian National University’s demonstration is supported by the Australian Space Agency Moon to Mars Demonstrator Mission Grant program, which has facilitated operational capability for the Australian Deep Space Optical Ground Station Network.
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