In this article we explain the advancement and importance of spaceborne laser communication comparing with traditional microwave communication, introduce the basic components of laser communication systems, and briefly describe the working process of the system. After that, the foreign satellite-borne laser communication projects and development plans are summarized, focusing on the research status of satellite-borne laser communication in Japan, the United States and Europe in recent years. Besides, we also concisely describe the research progress in domestic universities and research institutes and point out the difficulties of current spaceborne laser communication and summarize the key technologies related to it. Finally, the future of the development of spaceborne laser communication is prospected.