In today's society, communication has become an indispensable part of human life, and with the rapid development of science and technology, our communication methods are constantly innovating and evolving. In recent years, quantum communication, as an eye-catching field, is gradually entering people's field of vision. Compared with traditional communication methods, quantum communication, with its potential for exceptional security and transmission efficiency, provides a new possibility for building a more reliable and secure satellite network.
Quantum communications is a field of research that explores how to use quantum mechanics to send and receive information securely. It exploits fundamental properties of quantum physics, such as superposition and entanglement, to achieve secure and efficient data transmission. In classical communication, information is usually encoded as bits, represented as 0 or 1. However, in quantum communications, qubits are used to encode information. Unlike classical bits, qubits can exist in a superposition of 0 and 1 states simultaneously, allowing for more complex and powerful calculations.
One of the keys to quantum communication is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). QKD enables communicating parties to securely share a key, which can then be used to encrypt and decrypt messages. The security of QKD is based on the principles of quantum mechanics and can resist eavesdropping or hacker attacks.
Another important concept in quantum communication is quantum teleportation (QT). QT allows the quantum state of a particle to be transferred from one location to another without physically moving the particle itself. This phenomenon relies on the principle of entanglement, whereby the state of one particle is related to another, regardless of the distance between them.
Quantum communications have the potential to revolutionize secure communications and cryptography and enable faster, more efficient computing through quantum computing. It is an active area of research and development with prospects in areas such as secure communications, quantum networks, and quantum computing.
One of the main challenges with satellite communications is that signals are easily intercepted or hacked. Traditional encryption methods are vulnerable because attackers can intercept and manipulate signals during transmission. Quantum communications, specifically QKD, solve this problem by providing a method for fundamentally secure exchange of encryption keys. Satellite-based QKD can provide a secure communication channel between ground stations and satellites. Using quantum principles, QKD can establish secure encryption keys to prevent interception, such as transmitting entangled particles or photons. The security of QKD lies in the fact that any attempt to eavesdrop on quantum communications will disrupt the quantum state, alerting both parties to the attacker's presence.
Satellite communications also benefit from the unique capabilities of quantum teleportation. QT allows the transfer of quantum states between entangled particles regardless of their physical distance. This enables the transmission of quantum information from ground stations to satellites and vice versa without the need for physical transmission of quantum states. This can improve communication and data transmission efficiency of satellite systems. Additionally, quantum communications could function in secure quantum networks of multiple satellites and ground stations. These networks enable secure communication and information sharing between nodes, allowing the development of advanced satellite-based applications such as global data distribution, quantum sensing, and distributed quantum computing.
Quantum communications will exert its influence in various fields of satellite communications, both in current applications and future developments. These are some of the areas where quantum communications have had or are expected to have an impact: Very High Throughput Satellites (VHTS), Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Networks, Internet of Things (IoT), Space Situational Awareness (SSA), Laser Communications, On-orbit Services, Geosynchronous Transfer orbit (GTO), 6G satellite communication, small satellite networking, terminal direct service (D2D), high-throughput communication satellite, quantum communication satellite, artificial intelligence (AI), low-orbit satellite constellation chain (LEO), geostationary orbit Satellites (GEO), CubeSats.
Quantum SATCOM can impact all aspects of the aforementioned SATCOM applications and technologies by providing secure encryption, protecting sensitive data, enabling efficient communication, and enabling the development of advanced systems such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
Significant advances in quantum communications have opened the door to transformative applications. In 2017, the world's first 2,000-kilometer quantum secure communication trunk line, the "Beijing-Shanghai Trunk Line", was completed and opened, initially establishing a wide-area quantum communication network. Not only is this a historic milestone, it also shows the potential of this technology. On the basis of this success, in 2018, Quantum Xchange, the first QKD network provider in the United States, announced the construction of the nation's first quantum Internet - Phio, with a total length of 805 kilometers along the east coast of the United States from Washington to Boston. An interstate, commercial QKD network.
With the continuous advancement of technology, during 2012-2014, domestic companies such as Kyushu Quantum, Shenzhou Quantum, and Zhongchuangwei Quantum were established in Zhejiang and Beijing. In general, only a few companies participated in the quantum communication competition before 2016. In 2016, the world's first quantum science experimental satellite "Mozi" was successfully launched, and the quantum communication between the satellite and the ground was completed for the first time. Quantum communication is slowly become a popular industry.
Advances in technology have made it possible for quantum communications to revolutionize communication in different fields. As the maturity of quantum communication continues to increase, quantum communication will be more widely adopted and more companies will contribute to this rapidly developing field.
Reference connection:
https://africanews.space/quantum-communication-in-satellite-networks/