Free Space Optics refers to the transmission of modulated visible or infrared beams through the atmosphere to obtain broadband communications.
How does this work? Data is transmitted wirelessly by light propagating in free space, like through an ambient or environmental vacuum like space. The energy beam is collimated and sent through air or space from the source to its destination.
At the source, the beam is modulated with the data to be transmitted. Once at the destination, it is intercepted by a photodetector. The data is then extracted, and the resulting signal is amplified and sent to hardware.