Artemis II will use laser beams to live-stream 4K moon footage at 260 Mbps — one giant step beyond the S-band radio comms of the Apollo era

NASA's Artemis II mission will utilize a laser-based Optical Communications system (O2O) to live-stream high-resolution 4K footage from the moon at speeds up to 260 Mbps. This technology will offer unprecedented views of the moon's surface, including the far side, captured with Nikon digital cameras. While O2O enables fast data transmission, traditional radio communications via NASA's Deep Space Network will serve as a backup. Laser ground stations in New Mexico and California will facilitate the communication process, showcasing advancements in space communication technology.