NASA Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space Via Laser (Media Reel)

B-roll for media and public use. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment marked a historic milestone by streaming an ultra-high-definition video from deep space by laser for the first time. A 15-second video featuring a cat named Taters chasing a laser pointer was beamed to Earth by the optical, or laser, communications technology demonstration on Dec. 11, 2023, from nearly 19 million miles away (30 million kilometers, about 80 times the Earth-Moon distance).

The DSOC experiment is attached to the Psyche spacecraft, which launched on Oct. 13, 2023. The technology demonstration is testing high-bandwidth optical communications as the spacecraft travels to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This video was uploaded to DSOC’s flight laser transceiver before launch. Graphics superimposed over the tabby cat illustrate several features of the experiment, such as Psyche’s orbital path, the Palomar Observatory’s telescope dome, and technical information about the laser. The video was inspired by Felix the Cat, which was the first image ever transmitted on television.

This reel also includes b-roll and still images of the DSOC team’s reactions to the successful first video transmission and an animation showing how DSOC works.