On Tuesday, a gold-capped laser transceiver associated with the asteroid probe Psyche achieved a significant milestone by activating its laser for the first time.

This Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment, conducted by NASA, successfully transmitted and received data encoded within a near-infrared laser from a distance of nearly 10 million miles in deep space (16 million kilometers).

The laser beams communicated with the Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California, marking the farthest reach of laser-based communication, Gizmodo reported.

While optical communication has been utilized for data transmission within Earth orbit and the Moon, this recent test serves as a critical step in refining communication capabilities for upcoming deep space missions.

Launched aboard the Psyche spacecraft on October 13, the DSOC transceiver is the first demonstration of laser communication from distances as vast as Mars.

The Psyche spacecraft’s primary mission is to explore and study the unique metallic asteroid Psyche, offering insights into the history of planet formation and core dynamics.

Written by B.C. Begley