German Aerospace Center in QuNET Working on Satellite-Based Quantum Communication

(EENews.Europe.com) Europe’s research initiative QuNET wants to develop a communication network with quantum encryption.
The kick-off of the first QuNET project phase of the research initiative took place November 12, 2019. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is working on practical solutions for satellite-based quantum communication in order to safely agree on keys over long distances. So far, this has only been possible over a few 100 kilometres. Using satellites, on the other hand, keys can in principle be agreed between any location on Earth. This is no trivial undertaking: Since quantum communication protocols require the handling of individual photons, the transmission must be very efficient, i.e. as many of the photons as possible must contribute to key generation. In addition, foreign radiation must be avoided.
QuNET Members & Funding
The QuNET research network includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering as coordinator, the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications (Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI), the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Light and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The research initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and headed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering.