EPJ Quantum Technol. (2016) 3: 12
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-016-0051-7

Commentary

Nanosatellite experiments to enable future space-based QKD missions

¹ Centre for Quantum Technology, National University of Singapore, 3, Science Drive 2, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
² SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, 107 Rottenrow East, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK
³ Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2, Science Drive 3, Singapore, 117551, Singapore

^* e-mail: r.bedington@nus.edu.sg

Received: 13 July 2016
Accepted: 5 October 2016
Published online: 18 October 2016

Abstract

We present a programme for establishing the space worthiness of highly-miniaturised, polarisation-entangled, photon pair sources using CubeSat nanosatellites. Once demonstrated, the photon pair sources can be deployed on more advanced satellites that are equipped with optical links to establish a global space-based quantum key distribution network. In doing so, this work will also bring experimental tests of the overlap between quantum and relativistic regimes closer to realisation.