Quantum Experiments at Space Scale

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Quantum Experiments at Space Scale
NamesQuantum Space Satellite
Micius / Mozi
Mission typeTechnology demonstrator
OperatorChinese Academy of Sciences
COSPAR ID2016-051A[1]
SATCAT no.41731Edit this on Wikidata
Mission duration2 years (planned)
7 years, 8 months (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerChinese Academy of Sciences
BOL mass631 kg (1,391 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date15 August 2016, 17:40 UTC [2]
RocketLong March 2D
Launch siteJiuquan LA-4
ContractorShanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
Orbital parameters
Regime
Sun-synchronous
Perigee altitude488 km (303 mi)[2]
Apogee altitude584 km (363 mi)[2]
Inclination97.4 degrees[2]
Transponders
BandUltraviolet[3]
Instruments
interferometer
 

Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS; Chinese: 量子科学实验卫星; pinyin: Liàngzǐ kēxué shíyàn wèixīng; lit. 'Quantum Science Experiment Satellite'), is a Chinese research project in the field of quantum physics. QUESS was launched on 15 August 2016.

The project consists of the satellite Micius, or Mozi (Chinese: 墨子), after the ancient Chinese philosopher, operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as ground stations in China. The University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy of Sciences are running the satellite's European receiving stations.[4][5] The satellite conducted Space-Earth quantum key distribution (Chinese: 量子密钥分发) experiments, facilitated by laser communications experiment carried on Tiangong-2 space laboratory module.[6][7]

Design and development

QUESS is a proof-of-concept mission designed to facilitate

photons, QUESS will allow ground stations separated by many thousands of kilometres to establish secure quantum channels.[3] QUESS itself has limited communication capabilities: it needs line-of-sight, and can only operate when not in sunlight.[12]

Further Micius satellites were planned, including a global network by 2030.[12][13]

The mission cost was around US$100 million in total.[2]

Mission

Quantum Experiments at Space Scale is located in Asia
Xinglong
Xinglong
Ürümqi
Ürümqi
Ali
Ali
Vienna
Vienna
class=notpageimage|
Ground stations

The initial experiment demonstrated

Bell's inequality at a distance of 1,200 km (750 mi) – further than any experiment to date – and teleported a photon state between Shiquanhe Observatory in Ali, Tibet Autonomous Region, and the satellite.[3] This requires very accurate orbital maneuvering and satellite tracking so the base stations can keep line-of-sight with the craft.[3][14] In 2021 full quantum state teleportation was demonstrated over 1,200 km (750 mi) at ground, based on entanglement distributed by the satellite.[15]

Once experiments within China concluded, QUESS created an international QKD channel between China and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna, Austria − a ground distance of 7,500 km (4,700 mi), enabling the first intercontinental secure quantum video call in 2016.[3][4]

Launch

The launch was initially scheduled for July 2016, but was rescheduled to August, with notification of the launch being sent just a few days in advance.[16] The spacecraft was launched by a Long March 2D rocket from Jiuquan Launch Pad 603, Launch Area 4 on 17 August 2016, at 17:40 UTC (01:40 local time).[2]

Multi-payload mission

The launch was a multi-payload mission shared with QUESS, LiXing-1 research satellite, and ³Cat-2 Spanish science satellite.

  • LiXing-1: LiXing-1 is a Chinese satellite designed to measure upper atmospheric density by lowering its orbit to 100–150 km. Its mass is 110 kg. On 19 August 2016, the satellite reentered into the atmosphere, so the mission is closed.
  • ³Cat-2: The 3Cat-2 (spelled "cube-cat-two") is the second satellite in the 3Cat series and the second satellite developed in Catalonia at Polytechnic University of Catalonia’s NanoSat Lab. It is a 6-Unit CubeSat flying a novel GNSS Reflectometer (GNSS-R) payload for Earth observation. Its mass is 7.1 kg.

Secure key distribution

Main article: Quantum key distribution

The main instrument on board QUESS is a "

fibre optic cables to transmit the photons. However, fiber optics and the atmosphere both cause scattering, which destroys the entangled state, and this limits the distance over which QKD can be carried out. Sending the keys from an orbiting satellite results in less scattering, which allows QKD to be performed over much greater distances.[3]

In addition, QUESS could test some of the basic foundations of quantum mechanics. Bell's theorem says that no local hidden-variable theory can ever reproduce the predictions of quantum physics, and QUESS was able to test the principle of locality over 1,200 km (750 mi).[9][3]

The quantum key distribution experiment won American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)'s Newcomb Cleveland Prize in 2018 for its contribution to laying the foundation for ultra-secure communication networks of the future.[17]

Analysis

QUESS lead scientist

leak of US surveillance documents as an impetus for the development of QUESS, with Popular Science calling it "a satellite for the post-Snowden age".[14][21][22]

Similar projects

QUESS is the first spacecraft launched capable of generating entangled photons in space,

Alphasat Laser Communication Terminal.[24]
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched the Quiness macroscopic quantum communications project to catalyze the development of an end-to-end global quantum internet in 2012.

In 2024, ESA intends to launch the Eagle-1 quantum key distribution satellite, with a goal similar to that of the Chinese QUESS. It will be part of the development and deployment of the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ "QSS (Mozi)". space.skyrocket.de. Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "QUESS launched from the cosmodrome on Gobi desert". Spaceflights.news. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lin Xing (16 August 2016). "China launches world's first quantum science satellite". Physics World. Institute of Physics. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b "First Quantum Satellite Successfully Launched". Austrian Academy of Sciences. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Wall, Mike (16 August 2016). "China Launches Pioneering 'Hack-Proof' Quantum-Communications Satellite". Space.com. Purch. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Tiangong2". chinaspacereport.com. China Space Report. 28 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 12 Nov 2017.
  7. ^ huaxia (16 September 2016). "Tiangong-2 takes China one step closer to space station". chinaspacereport. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  8. S2CID 4468803
    .
  9. ^
    S2CID 5206894
    .
  10. ^ Billings, Lee. "China Shatters "Spooky Action at a Distance" Record, Preps for Quantum Internet". Scientific American.
  11. ^ Popkin, Gabriel (15 June 2017). "China's quantum satellite achieves 'spooky action' at record distance". Science - AAAS.
  12. ^ a b huaxia (16 August 2016). "China Focus: China's space satellites make quantum leap". Xinhua. Archived from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  13. ^ a b Jeffrey Lin; P.W. Singer; John Costello (3 March 2016). "China's Quantum Satellite Could Change Cryptography Forever". Popular Science. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  14. ^ a b "China's launch of quantum satellite major step in space race". Associated Press. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  15. S2CID 248812124
    .
  16. ^ Tomasz Nowakowski (16 August 2016). "China launches world's first quantum communications satellite into space". Spaceflight Insider. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  17. ^ D. Cohen, Adam (31 January 2019). "Advancement in Quantum Entanglement Earns 2018 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize". American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  18. ^ a b c "China launches 'hack-proof' communications satellite". Reuters. 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  19. ^ Edward Wong (16 August 2016). "China Launches Quantum Satellite in Bid to Pioneer Secure Communications". New York Times. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  20. ^ Josh Chin (16 August 2016). "China's Latest Leap Forward Isn't Just Great—It's Quantum". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  21. ^ Jeffrey Lin; P.W. Singer (17 August 2016). "China Launches Quantum Satellite In Search Of Unhackable Communications". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  22. ^ Lucy Hornby, Clive Cookson (16 August 2016). "China launches quantum satellite in battle against hackers". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  23. ^
    PMID 27466107
    .
  24. S2CID 15100033
    .
  25. ^ "Quantum encryption to boost European autonomy". ESA. 22 September 2022.

External links

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