Optics

MUST-SEE Optics: 2025’s Best Binoculars & Monoculars (Plus 2026’s Game-Changers Revealed)

Budget-Friendly All-Rounder: the Celestron Nature DX ED 8×42 costs around $200, uses ED glass and multi-coated optics, is waterproof and lightweight, and reviewers call it hard to beat for the price. Mid-Range Best Overall: Nikon Monarch M5 8×42, about $300, uses a phase-corrected roof prism with ED glass and top coatings, ~19 mm eye relief, and weighs roughly 24 oz. Upgrade Pick: Nikon Monarch M7 10×42 (~$500) adds a wider field of view and crisper edge-to-edge clarity, with Field & Stream naming it Best Value among new hunting binoculars. Premium HD Optics: Swarovski NL Pure 10×42 costs about $2,500+, delivers

31 July 2025

Laser Wars in Orbit: The 2024-2030 Boom in Optical Inter-Satellite Links

In 2024 the global Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISL) market was about US$402 million and is projected to reach US$2.0 billion by 2030, a fivefold increase with roughly 30% CAGR. Major LEO mega-constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, and the planned OneWeb Phase 2 are integrating optical inter-satellite links from the outset to boost capacity and reduce latency. The U.S. Space Development Agency standardizes an optical terminal interface at about 2.5 Gbps and is seeding multiple vendors to build compatible units, jump‑starting a domestic OISL supply chain. China’s Laser Starcom achieved a world-record 400 Gbps laser inter-satellite link test

15 June 2025

Future Trends · Laser Technology · NASDAQ:AMZN · NASDAQ:MYNA · NASDAQ:RKLB · Optical Links · Satellites · Space Communications