China Achieves 1Gbps Laser Data Transmission from Space—5x Faster than Starlink

Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking achievement in space communications by transmitting data from a satellite in geostationary orbit to Earth at a blazing speed of 1Gbps—five times faster than SpaceX’s Starlink. Remarkably, this was achieved using a low-powered 2-watt laser beam.

The experiment was spearheaded by Professor Wu Jian of Peking University and Liu Chao from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Their team utilized advanced technologies including Adaptive Optics (AO) and Mode Diversity Reception (MDR) to overcome atmospheric distortion—a common challenge in laser communication.

At Lijiang Observatory in southwest China, a 1.8-meter telescope successfully captured the laser signal from 36,705 kilometers away. Using 357 micro-mirrors and a cutting-edge real-time signal processing chip, the system boosted signal reliability from 72% to over 91%.

The results, published in the journal Acta Optica Sinica, underline China’s growing dominance in space-based laser communication. This follows earlier achievements like the Shijian-20 satellite, which hit 10Gbps speeds in 2020 under classified conditions.

With laser-based space internet seen as the future of ultra-fast, secure global communications, China’s new milestone signals its ambitions to leap ahead in the ongoing space tech race.