Due to the potential vulnerability of certain public key encryption methods to a quantum computer attack within the next 3–15 years, there is an immediate need for quantum-secure data encryption. In addition, quantum information is extremely fragile and therefore needs a specialized network (the Quantum Internet) to transmit, manipulate, and store the qubits to maintain their integrity. Multiple countries already have, or will soon launch, quantum space missions that have satellites equipped with quantum communication technologies, including Canada! The Canadian Space Agency’s Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission will be Canada’s 1st quantum communication satellite, launching in 2027. It’s not possible to create a global Quantum Network using only ground-based terrestrial connections (free-space or fibre) due to line-of-sight limitations and transmission loss. This technical module will present the special quantum properties that makes quantum communication so powerful, as well as current development/use cases in the field (i.e. level of maturity, expected availability). This module will include the quantum physics behind the technology, and is suitable for a STEM background without any prior quantum knowledge.
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- Quantum Communication Introduction, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)
- Quantum Communication Real-world Demonstrations including Canadian testbeds (fibre, free-space)
- The Global Quantum Space Race, Quantum Satellite Missions
- Canada’s Quantum Encryption & Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission (space)