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MIT Lincoln Laboratory and NASA use laser communications for Artemis II mission livestreams

An optical communications system used infrared lasers to transmit high-definition data and footage from deep space at broadband speeds.

Updated Aug 25, 2026 · 22:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • MIT Lincoln Laboratory and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center developed the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O) to deliver high-speed data transmission from space.
  • The infrared laser-based system transmitted nearly half a terabyte of data at speeds up to 260 megabits per second during the April mission.
  • The system downlinked high-definition footage, including views of the moon's far side, an Earthset, a total solar eclipse, and meteoroid strikes on the lunar surface.

Key facts

  • The O2O system was developed through a collaboration between MIT Lincoln Laboratory and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.[MIT Technology Review]
  • Using infrared laser light, O2O can transfer between 10 and 100 times more data per second than standard radio-frequency communications.[MIT Technology Review]
  • During the April Artemis II mission, the O2O system transmitted nearly half a terabyte of data with downlink speeds reaching up to 260 megabits per second.[MIT Technology Review]
  • Transmitted footage included views of lunar craters, a crescent Earthset, a total solar eclipse, and meteoroids impacting the moon's surface.[MIT Technology Review]

Sources