Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., a Chinese company, has set a new record by achieving a laser-based data transfer speed of 100 gigabits per second for high-resolution images from one of its Jilin-1 satellites to a ground station. This is a tenfold increase compared to the speed the company achieved less than a year ago.

This marks the first time that data has been transmitted from space to Earth at such a speed. While SpaceX’s Starlink has previously recorded similar speeds for laser data transfers between its satellites in space, transmitting data to Earth is more complex due to the Earth’s atmosphere and weather conditions affecting the laser beam.

To address this, the Chinese company has utilized a mobile vehicle to receive the laser beam. This vehicle can be relocated when weather conditions deteriorate. The company plans to construct a network of fixed stations in various locations to avoid this issue in the future.

The company aims to transmit high-resolution images captured by its Jilin-1 satellite constellation to Earth at high speeds for rapid processing. The constellation currently consists of 117 satellites and is expected to grow to 300 by 2027 with the addition of 183 more satellites in the coming years.

These satellites continuously monitor the Earth’s condition. Although they do not cover the entire planet, their constant movement allows them to capture images of most important areas worldwide.

This significant increase in data transfer speed from space paves the way for a new era of integrated space and computing technologies capable of collecting vast amounts of data from space and transmitting and processing it at record speeds.