The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Starfire Optical Range (SOR) recently demonstrated quantum communication in daylight under conditions representative of space-to-Earth satellite links.
"This is the world's first such demonstration, integrating quantum communication with a novel filtering technique enabled by adaptive optics (AO), a technology pioneered at the SOR," said Dr. Kelly Hammett, director of the AFRL Directed Energy Directorate.
A compact AO system was developed for this demonstration to allow quantum communication through-the-air in daylight. Free-space quantum communication in the daytime has been a challenge for the scientific community as it is often negatively impacted by background light.
In contrast to digital information which can be transmitted by radio waves, quantum information is carried by photons, individual particles of light.
Transmitting individual photons over long distances and detecting them against background light is essential to exploit the full potential of quantum technologies. Quantum communication will allow the networking of quantum computers for increased computing power with unprecedented security.
"The SOR field experiment is the first in a series designed to demonstrate various quantum communication protocols," said Dr. Mark Gruneisen, principal investigator for quantum communication research at the SOR.
Follow-on demonstrations will advance other quantum communication techniques, which will be equally enabled from AO technologies.
"The demonstration is an important advancement toward a future global-scale 'quantum internet," said Gruneisen. "Continued research and development by AFRL and others will bring new capabilities to the warfighter and mankind."
Related Links
US Air Force Research Laboratory
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Airbus and Thales Alenia Space to build two SpainSAT NG satellites
Madrid, Spain (SPX) May 07, 2019
A four co-primes consortium formed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space (both in Spain and France) has been selected by Hisdesat Servicios Estrategicos S.A. (Spanish Governmental Satellite Operator) to build two SpainSAT NG satellites. Used for governmental communications, these new generation satellites will replace the existing Spainsat and Xtar-EUR satellites. Airbus will act as "lead partner" of the consortium. The SPAINSAT NG programme includes two satellites, SPAINSAT NG I and II which will be ... read more
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