What is ILLUMA-T?

Aug. 30, 2023

The American space agency NASA is launching a groundbreaking technology demonstration known as the Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) to the Space Station.

About ILLUMA-T:

It is approximately the size of a standard refrigerator.
It will be secured to an external module on the International Space Station to conduct its demonstration with Laser Communications Relay Demonstration LCRD.
The ILLUMA-T, along with the LCRD (Launched in December 2021), will complete NASA’s first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system.
Once ILLUMA-T is on the space station, the terminal will send high-resolution data, including pictures and videos, to LCRD at a rate of 1.2 gigabits per second.
It is scheduled to launch on SpaceX’s 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA.
After its launch, ILLUMA-T will be installed on the station’s Japanese Experiment Module-Exposed Facility (JEM-EF).

Benefits

Laser communications enable missions to transmit more data in a single transmission.
More science and exploration data from space allow NASA to make more discoveries about our planet, microgravity, and the human spaceflight experience.
Laser communications systems provide numerous benefits to missions, including improved size, weight, and power requirements over comparable radio systems.
A smaller size increases the capacity of the spacecraft for other science instruments.
Less weight enables cost savings. Less power drain also means longer-lasting batteries.