China achieves lunar laser link, but data rates lag NASA's 2013 benchmark

China demonstrated two-way laser communication between Earth and the Moon via telescopes in Yunnan and an experimental lunar-orbiting satellite, becoming the second nation to do so. However, the achieved downlink of 100 Mbps and uplink rates fall short of NASA's 2013 performance, puzzling experts. The capability marks a strategic milestone in deep-space communications, though the technical gap suggests unresolved challenges in China's laser terminal or ground infrastructure.