NASA uses Shadow network which providers interconnections between important laboratory and datacentres. So downloads and uploads are done between this network only. Its also called as ESnet -Energy Science network. This 91Gbps was tested in this connection setup only(shadow network).

The legendary "91 Gigabits per second" Wi-Fi often associated with NASA is not actually a standard wireless signal you'd find in a home; it is a specialized, wired network called ESnet (Energy Sciences Network). This "shadow internet" uses dedicated, high-capacity fiber-optic cables to connect NASA research centers, national laboratories, and universities. It is designed to handle the massive data "bursts" required for modern science, such as high-resolution images from the James Webb Space Telescope or simulations from supercomputers, which would completely clog a standard commercial internet provider. Beyond Earth, NASA is revolutionizing space communications using Laser Communications (Optical Comms). In 2026, missions like the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) use beams of infrared light to transmit data 10 to 100 times faster than traditional radio waves. This allows for "Gigabit-speed" connections from the International Space Station or even Mars, using light waves that can carry significantly more information per second than the radio frequencies that have been the standard since the 1960s.