NASA is set to launch two novel experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) using SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft on November 5 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. These experiments include the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) and the Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low-Earth-Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (Illuma-T).
AWE aims to understand how Earth’s weather impacts space weather close to our planet, focusing on “Atmospheric Gravity Waves”. This research will be assisted by the Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (AMTM) on the ISS.
Meanwhile, Illuma-T will test high-speed laser communications from the ISS to Earth. Working alongside NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), it will relay data at speeds up to 1.2 gigabits per second. This will highlight the potential of laser communications in low Earth orbit missions.
