NASA has tapped SpaceX to upgrade the communication capabilities of the Artemis III mission scheduled for next year. NASA will install two Starlink mini laser terminals on the exterior of the Orion spacecraft. This hardware will allow astronauts to send 4K video and high-resolution imagery back to the Mission Control Center in Houston.
For the public, this means unprecedented access to the mission. During the 2027 flight, four astronauts will test how Orion approaches and docks with the commercial lunar landing systems required to return humans to the Moon in 2028. Viewers on Earth will be able to watch these tests unfold in real-time detail.
The integrated Starlink terminals use optical communications. Instead of relying on traditional radio waves, this system uses invisible infrared light. Shifting to optical wavelengths allows the equipment to handle much higher frequencies. This change vastly expands the available bandwidth, letting the spacecraft send large amounts of data and complex telemetry back to Earth far faster than legacy radio systems.
According to the a NASA update, the agency aims to “provide a front row seat for viewers from the Orion spacecraft” as the astronauts carry out their objectives. The new hardware will supplement the existing radio communication systems onboard Orion.
This is not the first time NASA has used light to talk to spacecraft. The agency successfully tested a similar laser system during the Artemis II mission. That test proved the equipment could send high-definition video, photos, and voice communications when the spacecraft had a direct, unobstructed line of sight with ground receivers on Earth.
SpaceX brings relevant experience to the project. The company demonstrated its laser technology for NASA during a 2025 spaceflight. The new hardware outfitting the Orion capsule for its low-Earth orbit demonstration flight is based on the same technology powering the more than 25,000 laser links currently connecting the Starlink internet satellites in orbit. SpaceX has already used this network to stream live video during its own Starship rocket tests.
The integration of these terminals is part of the Communications Services Project run by NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation division. This partnership helps NASA shift toward using commercial satellite services for missions close to Earth, freeing up government resources for deep space exploration.