Laser satellite communication – the use of laser beams to transmit data between satellites or from satellites to Earth – is emerging as a game-changer in space technology. By swapping traditional radio waves for tightly focused laser light, satellites can send information faster, more securely, and more efficiently than ever before nasa.gov. In this report,…
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Chinese researchers have achieved a record-breaking 1 gigabit-per-second (Gbps) data downlink from a satellite in geostationary orbit (36,000 km above Earth) using an optical laser link – with a laser device as weak as a “night light” or candle in power scmp.com scmp.com. In a recent demonstration, a 2-watt laser beam transmitted data to a…
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Imagine beaming a high-definition movie across the globe in less than five seconds using a laser as weak as a night-light. This seemingly sci-fi scenario just became reality: from a geostationary orbit 36,000 km above Earth, a Chinese satellite used a mere 2-watt laser to transmit data to the ground at 1 gigabit per second…
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China’s June 2025 demonstration of a 1‑gigabit‑per‑second laser down‑link from geostationary orbit sparked sensational headlines claiming a weak “candle‑bright” beam had “pulverized Starlink.” In reality, the 2‑watt transmission was a communications breakthrough, not an anti‑satellite strike. Yet the episode sits at the crossroads of two fast‑diverging trends: (1) a legitimate push to replace crowded radio channels with…
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