Real world data space data transmission record set.

[Galane]

LADEE sets data transmission record from lunar orbit

Operating from the LADEE lunar orbiter, the LLCD used lasers to transmit data to Earth at 622 megabits per second (Mbps) as a demonstration of a technology that NASA hopes will one day not only keep up with the communications demands of future missions, but also greatly enhance their capabilities.

Looks like good inspiration for higher tech nodes in KSP career mode.

[FITorion]

That's 77.75 MB per second to use units we're all more familiar with.

[SkyHook]

That's 77.75 MB per second to use units we're all more familiar with.

Well data transmission rates are generally in (Mega)bits per second. Bits for data, bytes for storage.

[Kromey]

To really put this into proper perspective, my internet connection -- one of the fastest ones available in my area -- is 12 Mbps. That means that in the time it takes me to download KSP, NASA can upload it to LADEE more than 50 times!!!

[Mephane]

To really put this into proper perspective, my internet connection -- one of the fastest ones available in my area -- is 12 Mbps. That means that in the time it takes me to download KSP, NASA can upload it to LADEE more than 50 times!!!

We need to develop AGI as quickly as possible, put it on a satellite, upload KSP to the satellite, and have the AI play KSP in space, forever. Then the purpose of the universe will be fulfilled.

[OrtwinS]

Well frack, some Lunar probe >360 000 km away has a better data bandwidth than my 200Mbit connection . And I didn't even opt for the (more expensive) 500 Mbit glassfiber option (have the cables, just don't use them yet).

More serious: Very nice! I'll be expecting a 'live' publicly accessible 'webcam' from our future 'Mars Glider' within a decade or two! Ya hear me NASA/ESA/JSA? (Duna planes prove it! we can make something fly there!)

Edit:

To really put this into proper perspective, my internet connection -- one of the fastest ones available in my area -- is 12 Mbps. That means that in the time it takes me to download KSP, NASA can upload it to LADEE more than 50 times!!!

Alaska might not be the most representative region concerning internet speeds .

50 Mbit is the slowest you can get here: http://www.upc.nl/pakketten/#intcmp=hpto

(and yes, I just committed Internet sin by possibly starting a bragging contest)

Edited October 24, 2013 by OrtwinS

[Kromey]

Now I'd like to know where you live, in my town 50 Mbit is the slowest you can get: http://www.upc.nl/pakketten/#intcmp=hpto

edit 2: Oooooh, Alaska... O.o

Yeah, you Europeans are way ahead of us. And I don't just mean po-dunk Alaska, but the whole of the US!

The Lower 48 (as we call the "contiguous 48 states") can get faster plans (although not as fast as what you've got there I don't think, at least not generally), but around here the fastest option I have -- for huge amounts of money that I don't have! -- is 50 Mbps.

http://www.gci.com/internet/plans

Edited October 24, 2013 by Kromey

[Brofessional]

More serious: Very nice! I'll be expecting a 'live' publicly accessible 'webcam' from our future 'Mars Glider' within a decade or two! Ya hear me NASA/ESA/JSA? (Duna planes prove it! we can make something fly there!)

Well there's still those little issues of extreme latency and communication blackout when the satellite isn't in position, or when the sun is between the two planets.

[numerobis]

I'm so used to youtube glitching out on me anyway, I won't notice the solar flares.

A friend at JPL commented it wasn't clear the technology could scale to interplanetary distances. But still, super-high bandwidth out to the moon is pretty cool; maybe we should put a big honking telescope on the far side.

[spikeyhat09]

Person A: Hey person B, what does the Communications Satellite get when he hooks up with a Moon Probe?

Person B: I don't know Person A, What does a Communications Satellite get when he hooks up with a Moon Probe?

Person A: He gets LADEE

[J.Random]

That's 77.75 MB per second to use units we're all more familiar with.

74.15.

k/M/Gbits are usually specified in decimal, but when you're talking about transferred k/M/Gbytes per second, it's usually binary. Unless you're using stupid IEC definitions.

[technicalfool]

To really put this into proper perspective, my internet connection -- one of the fastest ones available in my area -- is 12 Mbps. That means that in the time it takes me to download KSP, NASA can upload it to LADEE more than 50 times!!!

Awesome bandwidth, shame about the latency. It'd be a great connection for downloading updates, but I wouldn't want to try anything multiplayer, asides maybe Chess. Ping times of 2,500,000ms? Uhm...

[technicalfool]

74.15.

k/M/Gbits are usually specified in decimal, but when you're talking about transferred k/M/Gbytes per second, it's usually binary. Unless you're using stupid IEC definitions.

What, nobody likes Kibibytes?

[PlayMp1]

Yeah, you Europeans are way ahead of us. And I don't just mean po-dunk Alaska, but the whole of the US!

The Lower 48 (as we call the "contiguous 48 states") can get faster plans (although not as fast as what you've got there I don't think, at least not generally), but around here the fastest option I have -- for huge amounts of money that I don't have! -- is 50 Mbps.

http://www.gci.com/internet/plans

Hopefully as Google Fiber expands, this will be fixed. 1Gbit connections. Imagine all the por- I mean musi- I mean movi- I mean gam- cats! Pictures of fluffy kitties you could download with a 1Gbit connection!

I have an 80Mbit or so connection, and it's the fastest available in my area.

[J.Random]

What, nobody likes Kibibytes?

I'm yet to see a single person who would've liked bibibifixes.

[dharak1]

The fastest We can get here is something like 750 MB/s and for 200 CAD a month. I have 100 MB/s and its still not enough for me! I could use faster uploading too, only 5 MB/s

[Drunkrobot]

This new transition tech means more science being beamed back to mother Earth, so I'm happy to see this!

Side note: One of the reasons the film of the early Apollo missions was so low quality (even by the standards of the time) was because to the primitive transmitter on the LEM. Imagine video of the Apollo missions in modern, 4K definition. [salivates]