Objective 1 (O1): Development of a high-performance space-deployable entangled photon source (EPS) reaching TRL 6:
qtlabs and Demcon will, in coordination with all consortium members, but with special emphasis on the inputs of system integrators OHB and ADS, devise a space-deployable source of entangled photon pairs at TRL 6. High-precision assembly of a robust Engineering Qualification Model will be carried out by Demcon.
Objective 2 (O2): Development of a high-performance space-deployable P&M source (P&MS) reaching TRL6:
qssys will, in coordination with all consortium members, but with special emphasis on the inputs of system integrators OHB and ADS, devise a robust and Engineering Qualification Model of a space-deployable prepare & measure source at TRL 6.
Objective 3 (O3): Development of efficient post-processing software for space quantum communication at TRL 6:
UVigo and esc will, in coordination with qtlabs, qssys, OHB and Airbus, perform a thorough analysis of the relevant security parameters for both P&M and EB QKD, including the effect of all relevant side-channels for the developed QKD platforms. UVigo will design an efficient QKD post-processing procedure which is able to perform authentication, error correction and privacy amplification on raw key bits, considering finite-key effects and ensuring universal composability, and esc will write the post-processing software matching the designed postprocessing procedure. The produced software is to be software category C. This allows later update to flight software (TRL 8) without major modification. Furthermore, the post-processing software will be compliant with the ECSS-E-ST-40C standard for space systems.
Objective 4 (O4): End-to-end verification of the quantum chain at TRL 5, demonstrating full functionality:
In order to certify TRL 6 of both the P&MS and the EPS, Alter will execute vibrational tests with both finalized sources and perform thermal cycling in a vacuum chamber with them. qtlabs and qssys will accompany these tests with performance evaluations of the sources before, after and – where possible – during the test campaigns. Further, to ensure optimal end-to-end functionality of sources, receiver, and post-processing, qtlabs will be in charge of assembling all of the above components and assessing their respective performances under simulated in-orbit loss conditions. This will allow verification of TRL 5 of the quantum chain as a whole. Precise performance benchmarks will be defined during specifications in WP 5, since they strongly depend on the final wavelength, the satellite orbit and the properties of the satellite optical terminal.
Objective 5 (O5): Facilitate and start standardization activities for space quantum communication:
UPM will, in close cooperation with OHB, ADS, qtlabs, Alter, and qssys, prepare the standardization of the different outcomes of the project. The consortium will build a Roadmap of Quantum Communications in Space Standardization. The Roadmap will be presented for formal approval as a Technical Report in a Standardization Developing Organization (SDO). We target either ETSI or CEN/CENELEC as SDOs for the standardization projects: they are European but able to produce international standards and the QuTechSpace consortium has enough weight in them to successfully start the process. To maximize the success probability of processes that depend on voting of representatives at different level, the consortium will encourage consensus among all interested parties by promoting external workshops and the creation of working groups within the SDOs, among other activities.
