Periodic Reporting for period 1 - QUDICE (QUantum DevIces and subsystems for Communications in spacE)
Período documentado: 2023-01-01 hasta 2024-06-30
The protection of sensitive information is of crucial importance in our society: the security of money transfer, commercial transactions, medical data, remote control of critical infrastructures (power grid, telecom etc.) are key assets for EU citizens. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a promising solution to protect digital communications, guaranteeing unconditional security based on the laws of quantum mechanics rather than on the computation capability of an adversary. QKD requires a satellite network to allow the sharing of random keys between two legitimate users at the European scale. The main target of QUDICE is the development of the components and subsystems for quantum communication and optical systems for space-based QKD enabling the realization of a European network of satellites with quantum key distribution as the main service. Specific objectives of the project include:
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable source for discrete variable (DV) QKD
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG)
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable satellite Pointing and Tracking (PAT) system
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Entangled Photon Source (EPS)
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Continuous Variable (CV) QKD source
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable onboard 5G system for QKD post-processing support and QKD-secured connectivity service
- the development of simulations and testbeds to assess quantum satellite communications components
- the definition of the roadmap towards TRL9 for the developed systems
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable source for discrete variable (DV) QKD
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG)
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable satellite Pointing and Tracking (PAT) system
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Entangled Photon Source (EPS)
- the development of a TRL5-6 space-qualifiable Continuous Variable (CV) QKD source
- the development of a TRL6 space-qualifiable onboard 5G system for QKD post-processing support and QKD-secured connectivity service
- the development of simulations and testbeds to assess quantum satellite communications components
- the definition of the roadmap towards TRL9 for the developed systems
During the first year and half of activities, a set of requirements and specifications needed by all the subsystems to reach the desired technological maturity level has been defined.
The main activities of the first years were related to the preliminary designs of the different payloads. The following deliverables were submitted at M12:
● D1.1 - Requirements & Specifications
● D1.2 - Design of the DV-QKD source
● D1.3 - Design of the entangled source
● D1.4 - Design of the CV-QKD source
● D1.5 - Design of the hybrid QRNG module
● D1.6 - Design of the PAT system
● D1.7 - Design of the onboard 5G system
Breadboarding activity for the different payloads are ongoing
The main activities of the first years were related to the preliminary designs of the different payloads. The following deliverables were submitted at M12:
● D1.1 - Requirements & Specifications
● D1.2 - Design of the DV-QKD source
● D1.3 - Design of the entangled source
● D1.4 - Design of the CV-QKD source
● D1.5 - Design of the hybrid QRNG module
● D1.6 - Design of the PAT system
● D1.7 - Design of the onboard 5G system
Breadboarding activity for the different payloads are ongoing
New design of subsystems, going beyond the state of the art, has been carried out