In October last year, NASA conducted the first impressive display of high-speed laser communication in space. The next phase of testing is scheduled for 2017 or 2018. Order for the development and training of new equipment has already been posted. If a new stage is successful, we could be witnessing the emergence of full-fledged space on the Internet. A new type of space communications, based on laser data channels on the transmission rate of at least 100 times greater than the possibility of channels based on the radio. The mass of the transceivers and energy costs for operation of the equipment will remain at the same level.
Demonstration Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) is the transmission and reception of data in lunar scientific satellite to study the atmosphere of the moon. Speed Upload data unit is 20 Mbit / s without losing packets. Reverse channel operates at a speed 622 Mbit / s. Already at this stage optical channel bandwidth has appeared six times wider radio. Such a bandwidth equivalent to the transfer of 30 HDTV-streams simultaneously. Similar data rate needed for Deep Space Communication - during missions to Mars or the asteroid belt.
The new experiment will help find a solution for the mass of actual problems. Hindrance in optical communications act clouds, vibration satellites finite speed of light and other factors.