CACI International Inc., announced it has successfully enabled advanced optical communications and sensing technologies for NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
“Artemis II represents the strength of American innovation and the power of partnership across government, industry, and academia,” said John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer. “As a long-standing mission partner, CACI is honored to support NASA as it leads humanity back to the Moon, and our teams are proud to contribute technology that helps enable safe, reliable human spaceflight. This is how we expand the limits of national security every day.”
O2O: The Laser Link Connecting Artemis Astronauts to Earth in Real Time
Onboard the Artemis II Orion spacecraft is CACI’s optical communications modem module, developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory. CACI’s optical communications hardware, including the company’s bidirectional modem and amplifiers, is integrated into the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O) payload. This payload integrates precision pointing, laser transmission, and onboard data-handling technologies representing historic advancements in deep-space communication efficiency.
During the mission, O2O successfully delivered high-definition video and data from the lunar vicinity to Earth, establishing an optical link to a ground station, enabling a major milestone in next-generation space communications. Separately, through its acquisition of ARKA Group, CACI also contributed critical cryogenic-level sensing technology to the SLS rocket. This hardware supports precise propellant-level measurement and helps enable engine shutdown determination during ascent, which is an essential function for crewed deep space missions.
“Our optical communications and sensing teams have spent years advancing technologies designed for the most demanding space environments,” said Andreas Nonnenmacher, CACI Senior Vice President, Space. “The success of Artemis II demonstrates what is possible when NASA and the industrial base unite around exploration, scientific discovery, and inspiration for future generations.”
CACI’s U.S.-based teams and American-made hardware are developed across the country, including in Danbury, Connecticut and Florham Park, New Jersey, with additional employees in other innovation centers.
Click here to learn more about CACI's Optical Communication Modem Module
