We’ve mastered launching satellites, but it’s the way these satellites connect to Earth—and to each other—that will determine ...

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has helped to establish that femtosecond comb lasers can provide accurate measurement of absolute distance in formation flying space missions. NPL, along with ...

Is it time for space lasers yet? Almost. As time passes, ideas that were once confined to the realm of science fiction become more realistic. It's true of things like using robots to explore other ...

The U.S. Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true center using lasers on GPS satellites slated to launch in 2025. A set of laser retroreflector arrays, or LRAs, will be ...

Thanks to decades of Hollywood influence, when we think of lasers we typically think of laser beams. But this conception is actually quite misguided, as lasers need very specific circumstances in ...

A German satellite transmitted a laser signal to a ground station mounted on a Jeep in a breakthrough test that could significantly alter space-to-Earth communication, speeding it up and avoiding data ...

Astrolight and the European Space Agency (ESA) have started building a laser communications ground station in Greenland. The ...

Constellation-level decision frameworks that allow thousands of satellites to cooperate, redistribute resources and execute ...

NASA is experimenting with Invisible beams of light to transmit data to Earth, which can pack 10 to 100 times more information than radio waves. Reading time: Reading time 4 minutes In December 2023, ...

A ground-based laser tracking system that could help to stem the accumulation of space debris is being developed in the UK. Devised by start-up company Lumi Space with the support of ESA and the UK ...

In-space manufacturing is a big challenge, even with many of the same manufacturing methods being available as on the ground. These methods include rivets, bolts, but also welding, the latter of which ...

Since the advent of the Space Age, we've always relied on radio frequency communications to "chat" with both astronauts and spacecraft in orbit and beyond. But now, NASA is leveling up its ...