Andover Filters Power NASA’s Deep Space Laser Communication

By Rick Shagoury | February 21, 2025 |
An orange and white tabby cat named Taters lying on a dark gray couch, featured in the video transmitted during NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment. The image includes futuristic interface graphics overlaying the cat, with technical data, NASA logo, and colorful test patterns representing laser communication diagnostics.

In December 2023, NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment, led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, achieved a groundbreaking milestone by successfully transmitting an ultra-high-definition video via laser from nearly 19 million miles away—a distance equivalent to over 80 times the gap between Earth and the Moon. This technology demonstration marks…

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Best Optical Filters for Solar Observation

By Andover Corporation | January 17, 2023
optical solar observatioin bandpass Andover Corporation

Optical Filters for Solar Observation What Are the Best Optical Filters for Solar Observation? Solar cycles are measured by the ebb and flow of naturally occurring sunspots. These spots appear as dark cooler spots. As Solar Cycle 24 progresses towards its minimum solar activity with over 100 days of displaying zero sunspots, astronomers and solar…

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Optical Filters in Water Analysis

By Andover Corporation | January 17, 2023
water analysis

Optical Filters in Water Analysis How Are Optical Filters Used in Water Analysis? Every year, the Earth’s population consumes 4 trillion cubic meters of fresh water. After being carefully treated to fulfill the water-quality standards established by local governments, this drinking water is delivered through water delivery systems (WDS). These water delivery systems are susceptible…

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Optical Bandpass Filters Fundamentals

By Andover Corporation | June 9, 2022
Bandpass Filters Andover Corporation

Optical Bandpass Filters Fundamentals What Are Bandpass Filters? Bandpass filters are one of the simplest and most economical ways to transmit a well-defined band of light and reject all other unwanted radiation. Their design is essentially a thin film Fabry-Perot Interferometer formed by vacuum deposition techniques and consists of two reflecting stacks, separated by an…

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Spectroscopy

By Andover Corporation | April 9, 2020
spectroscopy

Spectroscopy What Is Spectroscopy? OverviewSpectroscopy is the study of molecular structure and dynamics through the absorption, reflection, emission, and scattering of light (i.e., electromagnetic radiation).What Are the Basics of Spectroscopy?Atoms and molecules interact with light in two ways:How Do Atoms and Molecules Couple with the Oscillating Electric Field of Light?By coupling with the oscillating electric…

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