In a major leap for space-based communications, Chinese scientists have successfully transmitted data from a satellite in geostationary orbit to Earth at a staggering speed of 1Gbps—five times faster than SpaceX’s Starlink. The feat was achieved using a low-powered 2-watt laser fired from a satellite positioned 36,705 kilometers above the Earth.
Led by Professor Wu Jian of Peking University of Posts and Telecommunications and Liu Chao of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the team used a cutting-edge combination of Adaptive Optics (AO) and Mode Diversity Reception (MDR). This technique enabled them to overcome severe atmospheric turbulence that typically scatters laser signals, ensuring a much clearer and more reliable transmission.
Also Read: US Slaps Sanctions on Iran-China Missile Network
The breakthrough was made possible by ground-based equipment at the Lijiang Observatory in southwest China, where a 1.8-meter telescope received and decoded the laser signal. The setup featured 357 precision micro-mirrors and a real-time multi-plane converter guided by a chip-based algorithm, raising signal reliability from 72% to over 91%.
Published in the journal Acta Optica Sinica, the experiment marks another milestone in China’s expanding space communication capabilities. It follows the 2020 record set by China’s Shijian-20 satellite, which achieved a 10Gbps laser downlink, though its technical details remain classified.
As the race for global dominance in satellite-based internet accelerates, this advancement underscores China’s growing edge in next-generation space technology—potentially outpacing traditional low-Earth orbit systems.
