Experimental Satellite Quantum Communications

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful transmission of quantum bits from space to ground using satellite retroreflectors, advancing satellite-based quantum communication and proposing a minimal-payload QKD protocol for space applications.

Contribution

It provides the first demonstration of space-to-ground qubit transmission using satellite retroreflectors and introduces a two-way QKD protocol requiring minimal satellite payloads.

Findings

Faithful qubit transmission from space to ground achieved.

Low error rates suitable for quantum key distribution demonstrated.

Proposed a minimal-payload two-way QKD protocol for satellites.

Abstract

Quantum Communications on planetary scale require complementary channels including ground and satellite links. The former have progressed up to commercial stage using fiber-cables, while for satellite links, the absence of terminals in orbit has impaired theirs development. However, the demonstration of the feasibility of such links is crucial for designing space payloads and to eventually enable the realization of protocols such as quantum-key-distribution (QKD) and quantum teleportation along satellite-to-ground or intersatellite links. We demonstrated the faithful transmission of qubits from space to ground by exploiting satellite corner cube retroreflectors acting as transmitter in orbit, obtaining a low error rate suitable for QKD. We also propose a two-way QKD protocol exploiting modulated retroreflectors that necessitates a minimal payload on satellite, thus facilitating the expansion of Space Quantum Communications.