NASA Achieves Laser Communication With Lunar Satellite 99
New submitter EngnrFrmrlyKnownAsAC writes "Communicating with lasers has become the hot new thing. While most researchers are seeking faster throughput, NASA set its sights in a different direction: the moon. They recently announced the first successful one-way laser communication 'at planetary distances.' What did they send? An image of the Mona Lisa, of course. 'Precise timing was the key to transmitting the image. Sun and colleagues divided the Mona Lisa image into an array of 152 pixels by 200 pixels. Every pixel was converted into a shade of gray, represented by a number between zero and 4,095. Each pixel was transmitted by a laser pulse, with the pulse being fired in one of 4,096 possible time slots during a brief time window allotted for laser tracking. The complete image was transmitted at a data rate of about 300 bits per second.'"
300 bits per second? (Score:5, Funny)
Overkill on detail? (Score:5, Funny)
> Every pixel was converted into a shade of gray, represented by a number between zero and 4,095.
Obviously 50 shades of gray wasn't enough..
Re:300 bits per second? (Score:4, Funny)
Who wants to play tw2002 on my moon server?
I do. 300 Baud is a nice reading speed...
But First!...
He who would negotiateth a handshake of that breadth must answer me these questions three, Ere the ATDT ye see...
0. What is your FidoNet node address?
1. What number of in & out dials have you?
2. What is the land area coverage of an unladen local call?
Re:Overkill on detail? (Score:2, Funny)
50 shades ought to be enough for anybody