ZBLAN Fiber: What It Is and Why It's Changing Space and Telecom

When you think of optical fibers, you probably picture the thin glass cables carrying internet data across oceans. But there’s a better kind—ZBLAN fiber, a fluoride-based glass optical fiber that transmits infrared light with dramatically lower signal loss than standard silica fibers. Also known as fluoride fiber optics, it’s not just an upgrade—it’s a game-changer for anything that needs to send light over long distances without weakening. Unlike regular fiber, which loses signal strength after a few kilometers, ZBLAN can carry signals over 100 times farther before needing a booster. That’s why NASA and private space companies are testing it for deep-space communication links and laser-based data transmission between satellites.

ZBLAN fiber works because its atomic structure—made of zirconium, barium, lanthanum, aluminum, and sodium fluorides—lets infrared light pass through with almost no absorption. This makes it perfect for wavelengths used in high-power lasers, medical devices, and sensors that detect heat or chemicals. In space, where every gram counts, ZBLAN’s ability to replace bulky copper wires and repeaters means lighter satellites, longer missions, and more reliable data from Mars orbiters or lunar bases. It’s also being explored for use in the cryostats, ultra-cold systems used to cool space-based infrared detectors like those on the James Webb Space Telescope, where low-loss fiber can carry signals from chilled sensors to room-temperature electronics without interference.

But ZBLAN isn’t easy to make. It’s fragile, prone to crystallization during manufacturing, and needs ultra-clean conditions. That’s why most of it is still lab-grown. Still, breakthroughs in space-based fiber drawing—like experiments on the ISS—are proving it can be produced in microgravity with fewer defects. That’s huge. If we can reliably manufacture ZBLAN in orbit, we could build entire optical networks in space, linking telescopes, habitats, and probes with near-perfect signal quality. It’s not science fiction—it’s the next step in how we communicate across the solar system. Below, you’ll find real-world examples of how this technology is being tested, integrated, and pushed beyond the lab, from space missions to next-gen medical tools.