NASA just beamed this cat video from deep space back to earth. Uh… Why?
As part of NASA’s new project to increase the amount of data we can send and receive from deep space, they swapped out a standard radio frequency device on a spacecraft for a new, optical, near-infrared laser. While both systems transmit data using electromagnetic waves, the near-infrared light packs data into MUCH tighter waves, allowing you to send data 10 to 100 times faster.
This 15-second video of a cat named Taters was beamed in ultra-high definition from 19 MILLION miles away. This cat video proves that optical communication could be the key to transmitting data, photos, and video as we explore further into space.
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