IAC technology is the key to the Spanish project which will ensure the secrecy of quantum communications by satellite

Laser launched from the Teide Observatory.
Laser launched from the Teide Observatory. Credit: Daniel López / IAC
Advertised on

The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias is designing and developing, as ordered by the Spanish company Thales Alenia Space, the adaptive optics which will be a parto f the ground station for the GARBO project, the first Spanish geostationary system for distributing quantum keys by satellite. This is a decisive step in the field of secure quantum communication on a large scale, and will strengthn the position of Spain, and of Europe at the Forefront of this technology.

Within the framework of the project the IAC will lead the development of the adaptive optics systems, and will participate in the tests of the prototypes, which will take place between the Optical Ground Station (OGS) at the Teide Observatory (Tenerife) and the Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope (JKT) at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma).The distance of 144 kilometres between them will permit the evaluation of the robustness and the efficiency of the system of quantum communications along a path which has continuous atmospheric turbulence.

The adaptive optics is a key component to compensate for the distortions caused by the atmospheric turbulence.In this project is main function will be to mitigate this turbulence and make it possible to transmit the quantum keys at aceptable velocities, an esencial process for the security of communications in the future. The IAC, as a public research organization, will bring to bear its long experience in front rank astronomical instrumentation, and in the implementation of adaptive optics systems, of which the adaptive optics within the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is an example.

The GARBO project is a technological milestone for Europe, and is the first initiative of this type to be driven by Spain. It comes with the growing world-wide demand for quantum communications networks. These networks are base don the distribution of cryptographic keys via the interchange of individual photons, a method which used the laws of quantum physics to ensure an unprecedented degree of security.

"The collaboration of the IAC with Thales Alenia Space in the GARBO project shows the clear desire of the IAC to contribute with its knowledge and its technology to fields outside astronomy, in this case to improve the security of quantum communications. “We are proud to be a part of the multidisciplinary team which will take Spain into the front line in the distribution of quantum keys from Space” said Luis Fernando Rodriguez Ramos, the Principal Investigator of the project Optical Communications in Free Space, of the IAC.

Carrying out the tests of the project at the observatories on Tenerife and La Palma will consolidate the role of the network of telescopes at the IAC at an international reference in the development of advanced technical solutions, no only for the observation of the universe, but also for application with a direct impact on society, such as optical communications in space.

Contacts at the IAC:
Luis Fernando Rodriguez Ramos, lrr [at] iac.es (lrr[at]iac[dot]es)
Jorge Socas Negrín, jorge.socas [at] iac.es (jorge[dot]socas[at]iac[dot]es)

Related projects
Formación de estrella guía con laser de Sodio para Óptica Adaptativa
IACTEC - Free Space Optical Communications
The Free Space Optical Communications Group is focused in develop and research of quantum optical communications equipments and implementations, between buildings, islands or with LEO/GEO satellite. Also exploit Adaptive Optics in quantum optical communications, develop powerful new technologies. Our EXPERIENCE is: - QKD optical ground terminal
Luis Fernando
Rodríguez Ramos
In progress
Related news
Norbert Hubin. Credit: Elena Mora (IAC)
Interview
NORBERT HUBIN: “The laser star guide system with Adaptive Optics which allow us to have much better sky coverage and better telescope performance”
“Although giant telescopes are under construction, astronomical images with good resolution cannot be obtained unless they use Adaptive Optics”, warns Norbert Hubin, head of instrumentation at the Very Large Telescope (VLT), a system of four 8.2 m telescopes installed at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Observatory in La Silla, Chile. It was on the telescope of 3.6 m of that observatory where the first system of Adaptive Optics in the history of the Astronomy (called "COME-ON") was tried. This engineer was in Tenerife this week attending the conference on "Adaptive Optics for
Advertised on
Participantes en el congreso sobre “Óptica Adaptativa para Telescopios Extremadamente Grandes” (AO4ELT5). Crédito: Elena Mora (IAC).
Press release
Latest advances in adaptive optics for giant telescopes
The conference on "Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes" (AO4ELT5) which brought together in Tenerife almost 300 international specialists in this astronomical technique, was brought to a close this afternoon. This meeting, organized by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has explored the common ground between astronomy and engineering which will improve the quality of the five projected future extremely large telescopes -the solar telescopes DKIST and EST, and the night-time telescopes GMT, TMT and E-ELT-, as well as for the present large telescopes, among them the
Advertised on
News type
Press release
Scope
Observatorios de Canarias
Science and Technology
IACTEC
Technology
Communications media
Adaptive Optics
Telecomunicaciones
Comunicación Cuántica
QKD-GEO
GARBO

It may interest you

  • Imagen del sistema TOI-6894 / IAC
    Press release
    A giant planet around a tiny star
    An international team of astronomers, including researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), the University of Liège and collaborators in UK, Chile, the USA, and Europe, has discovered a transiting giant planet orbiting the smallest known star to host such a companion — a finding that defies current theories of planet formation. The host star, TOI-6894 , is a red dwarf with only 20% the mass of the Sun , typical of the most common stars in our galaxy. Until now, such low-mass stars were not thought capable of forming or retaining giant planets. But as published today in
    Advertised on
  • ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, H. Dannerbauer
    Press release
    The IAC finds surprises in Spiderweb protocluster field
    A team of researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), collaborating with other international institutions, has managed to find new galaxies in the Spiderweb protocluster. This was possible thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, which is a project of the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Europe (ESA) and Canada (CSA). Exploring the populations of galaxies, and discovering their physical properties in large scale structures helps astronomers to understand galaxy formation and how their assembly is determined by their environment. The “ Spiderweb” protocluster
    Advertised on
  • Valentín Martínez Pillet, the director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC).
    Photomontage
    Valentín Martínez Pillet, the Director of the IAC, elected as Corresponding Academician of the Spanish Royal Academy of Science
    The director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Professor Valentín Martínez Pillet, has been appointed Corresponding Academician of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences of Spain . This recognition recognizes his career and contributions to the scientific field. This follows the recent appointment of Antxón Alberdi Odriozola, current director of the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia , who has also been elected Corresponding Academician of the same institution. With these new appointments, the presence of astronomers in the Royal Academy of Sciences
    Advertised on