TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — NASA launched a new laser communications system into space Monday morning.
The laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket around 5:20 a.m.
“NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) is the next step in optical communications. Optical communications uses infrared lasers to send data to and from space,” NASA said. “The technology will let NASA collect more science data and explore farther into the universe than ever before.”
You can watch the launch in the video player above.