Millions of people watched the historic launch of Artemis II and were captivated by the mission’s 10-day journey around the Moon as NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen ventured farther into space than any human before. Part of the public’s ability to experience the mission in high-definition was due to laser communications. Laser, or optical, communications systems use invisible infrared light to transmit more data in a single downlink than traditional radio frequency systems. During Artemis II, NASA tested an optical communications system  to demonstrate the benefits laser communications can bring to future human spaceflight missions to the Moon. The optical terminal, a payload attached to the Orion spacecraft’s exterior, marked the first time laser communications supported a crewed mission at lunar distance.…