cubesat for QUANtum and 5G cOmmunication

Informazioni relative al progetto

QUANGO

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 101004341

DOI

10.3030/101004341

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 28 Ottobre 2020

Data di avvio 1 Gennaio 2021

Data di completamento 31 Dicembre 2023

Finanziato da

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space

Costo totale

€ 2 127 655,00

Contributo UE

€ 2 127 655,00

Coordinato da

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - QUANGO (cubesat for QUANtum and 5G cOmmunication)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-01-01 al 2023-12-31

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

Secure and reliable exchange of data and information plays a crucial role in our society. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) aims at overcoming the current classical cryptographic systems, preventing the vulnerabilities led by the advent of quantum computers. In this context, the EU-funded project QUANGO designed and realized prototyping key elements of a satellite mission that targets the delivery of both IoT and QKD services. QUANGO studies provide a new paradigm to share the satellite infrastructure required for secure communication based on QKD and for 5G communication. QUANGO also designed a constellation of low-earth orbit CubeSat and developed laboratory prototype of the satellite sub-system payloads, along with the corresponding ground stations.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

As stated in the proposal, the main objective of the project is (i) the design of a 12U-CubeSat low-earth-orbit satellite offering combined capabilities for communication secured by QKD and for 5G connection for Internet of Things (IoT); (ii) the development of payloads, sub-systems, and the corresponding ground stations; (iii) and the study of its implementation feasibility.
The specific objectives of the project are:
1. Design of a nano-satellite with both QKD and 5G capabilities for low orbit satellite-to-ground communication.
2. Design and development of the quantum payload and ground station.
3. Laboratory demonstrations of the critical components and subsystems.
4. Theoretical study of future technologies: inter-satellite QKD and integration of QKD security into 5G protocols.
5. Exploitation and business plan for the 5G-QKD satellite.

All the above objectives has been achieved by the Project.

Exploitation of the results has been achieved by the EU project QUDICE, whose KO meeting was on January, 26th 2023. The project will exploit Quango heritage to develop and test a higher-TRL model. UniPD is the coordinator of QUDICE.

Project results has been disseminated in conferences and public presentations

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

The design and realization of two new QKD transmitters with 1Ghz repetition rate and Quantum Bit Error rate below 1% has been completed.
The design and realization of new optical payload for QKD transmission has been completed.
The design and realization of the new 5G IoT radio payload to be accommodated in the Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) CubeSat considered in the QUANGO project with combined capabilities for communication secured by QKD and for 5G connection for Internet of Things (IoT) has been completed.
We also completed the design of the 12U CubeSat, describing the main steps of the design process, system requirements, system level budgets (mass, power and volume) and the performance and risk analysis.
We also designed the satellite mission, reporting the design process, mission requirements, trade-off analysis, and the mission description, CONOPS and operative modes.
We provided a high-level description of the ground station able to receive the QKD signal coming from the CubeSat, together with an evaluation of its requirements. We also realized a breadboard recevier according to the previous requirements.
The test of the integration of the QKD source with the optical payload by using the designed optical receiver has been completed. Also the integration of the QRNG with the QKD source has been realized.
Finally we give an overview of the QKD infrastructure that is needed for a bank, to make use of a QKD system.

logo of the project QUANGO