Quantum Communications at ESA: Towards a space experiment on the ISS

Paper number

IAC-07-B2.3.05

Author

Mr. Josep Maria Perdigues Armengol, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Bernhard Furch, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Clovis Jacinto de Matos, European Space Agency/Headquarters, France

Coauthor

Dr. Olivier Minster, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Luigi Cacciapuoti, European Space Agency (ESA)/ESTEC, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Martin Pfennigbauer, Austria

Coauthor

Dr. Markus Aspelmeyer, Austria

Coauthor

Dr. Thomas Jennewein, Austria

Coauthor

Dr. Rupert Ursin, Austria

Coauthor

Dr. Tobias Schmitt-Manderbach, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Guy Baister, Switzerland

Coauthor

Prof. John Rarity, United Kingdom

Coauthor

Prof. Walter Leeb, Austria

Coauthor

Prof. Cesare Barbieri, University of Padova, Italy

Coauthor

Prof. Harald Weinfurter, Germany

Coauthor

Prof. Anton Zeilinger, Austria

Year

2007

Abstract

ESA, under the General Studies Programme, has supported since 2002 several studies in the field of quantum communications for space systems. As a result of these studies, a European research consortium led by Vienna University successfully submitted the Space-QUEST proposal to the European Life and Physical Sciences in Space programme of ESA. This paper will present the results of the ESA studies on Quantum Communications.  The programmatic roadmap and the proposed technology development activities, aiming at a future quantum communications space-to-ground experiment from the International Space Station, will be described in detail. 

Firstly, the main results of ESA studies on quantum communications will be presented, in particular its potential impact on future space communication systems and on the evolution of global navigation space systems:

1) The “Quantum Communications in Space” study (ESA Contract No 16358/02 and 16441/02) has investigated schemes which can provide absolute security against eavesdropping, higher channel capacity and higher efficiency. These features are very attractive to communication space systems and to deep space missions. 

2) The “Accommodation of a Quantum Communication Transceiver in an Optical Terminal” study (ESA Contract No 17766/03/NL/PM) has redesigned a classical optical terminal to best accommodate a quantum communication transceiver.

3) The on-going “Experimental Evaluation of Quantum Communications” study (ESA Contract No 18805/04/NL/HE) aims to experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of distributing single photons and entangled photon pairs under conditions representative of a LEO-to-ground scenario in terms of total link attenuation and propagation path through the atmosphere.

These studies have contributed to the Space-QUEST proposal (QUantum Entanglement for Space ExperimenTs), submitted by worldwide recognised scientists from several European research institutes (Austria, Germany, Italy and France) to the ELIPS-2 programme of ESA. Cooperation with other European and international scientific groups is actively pursued. 

The programmatic roadmap towards this future quantum communications space experiment between the baseline platform, ISS, and several optical ground stations will be presented in terms of planned activities at system, instrument and module levels. This experiment will establish free-space optical communication links between a space-based transceiver and ground-based transceivers located in largely separated ground stations (>1000 km). The mass, size and power consumption estimations of the preliminary design of the space instrument are well compliant with constraints on the external pallet of the European Columbus module. The link analysis shows that achievable access times are sufficient to demonstrate both space-based quantum key distribution and fundamental quantum physics experiments. The roadmap timeframe targets a launch date in 2012. The successful execution of such space-to-ground experiments will allow to demonstrate, for the first time in space, absolute secure global distribution of cryptographic keys and to investigate fundamental quantum physics principles beyond the capabilities of earth-bound laboratories by utilizing the added value of space/ISS environment.

Abstract document

IAC-07-B2.3.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-B2.3.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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