1. Development and Astronaut Deployment of a Secure Quantum
Space Channel Prototype at the Pacific Interna<onal Space Center
for Explora<on Systems
Christopher
Altman
(PISCES, University of Hawaii),
Colin
P.
Williams
(Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech),
Rupert
Ursin
(Ins>tute for Quantum Op>cs and Quantum Informa>on, Austrian Academy of Sciences),
Paolo
Villoresi
(University of Padova, Italy),
Vikram
Sharma
(Quintessence Labs)
Short Descrip<on
We propose a fundamentally new quantum-based communication
system based on “continuous variable” quantum communications that
will provide space-based NASA assets communications with
unconditional information security. By this we mean that all
command and control inputs to spacecraft sent over our network will
be guaranteed to be impossible to spoof by any US adversary, and
protected by the fundamental laws of physics, whereas there is
currently no security proof for conventional secure communication
(SSL, RSA and others). Moreover, such absolute security is even
guaranteed if the encrypted traffic must pass over insecure and public
networks not under NASA (or even US) control. Such a capability
will provide NASA a permanent solution to its secure
communication needs, and is directly responsive to the stated NASA
need for “unconditional information security” referenced in the 2010 NASA Communication and Navigation
Systems Technology Roadmap1. Our visionary approach brings together the expertise of the two leading European
groups involved in demonstrating quantum communications over a 144km free-space optical path, with the quantum
and optical communications expertise of NASA JPL, the continuous variable quantum communications expertise of
QuintessenceLabs, and the lunar and astronaut training facilities at the Pacific International Space Center for
Exploration Systems (PISCES) on Hawaii. Consequently, we offer the best global team for developing a free-space
continuous variable quantum communications prototype and demonstrating the feasibility for it to be set up and
calibrated by an astronaut on analogue lunar terrain, echoing the famous placement of the lunar retroreflectors by the
Apollo astronauts.
Concept
NASA is already moving towards optical communications for higher
bandwidth channels. Currently the security of those channels is based on
the standard public key infrastructure (PKI). As PKI is only conditionally
secure it can, in principle (and practice) be compromised with sufficient
computing power. This exposes NASA’s space assets and astronauts to
potential harm if an adversary inserts damaging control inputs into
communications commanding and controlling those assets. We propose a
demo kit that an astronaut could set up to demonstrate the feasibility of
deploying a secure quantum communications network between the Earth,
the Moon, Mars, and deep space missions based on the use of continuous
quantum variable communications. This type of quantum communications
is ideally suited to integration into conventional NASA optical
1 J. Rush et al., “NASA Communication and Navigation Systems Technology Roadmap (Technology Area 05), November (2010)
p.TA05-8.
Fig.
2
Astronauts
field-­‐test
next
generaCon
spacesuits.

2. communications, as it relies upon similar kinds of lasers and optical elements. Hence, this concept represents a
potential breakthrough in free-space quantum communications for NASA. The continuous variable quantum
communications system would be used to securely establish matching cryptographic keys over an (potentially)
insecure channel. Thereafter, those keys could be used in any secure classical cryptography system to guarantee
authentication of command and control inputs sent to any NASA space asset. Ultimately, this new way of
conducting communications will protect NASA assets and the lives of NASA astronauts.
Poten<al Impact
Our system will surpasses the state of the art in secure communications in two significant ways. First, whereas
current information security relies upon public key cryptography, in which the security of the system rests on the
unproven presumption that certain mathematical problems (such as factoring large composite integers or computing
discrete logarithms) are intractable, the security of our quantum technique rests upon physical laws that cannot be
circumvented. Secondly, whereas NASA (and all other government agencies) must today periodically upgrade the
security of their systems by using longer and longer cryptographic keys to keep one step ahead of those wishing to
hack the communications channel, our proposed solution is derived from the known laws of fundamental physics,
and is thus impervious to these kinds of attacks.
Study
In Phase I we intend to accomplish the following goals:
· Design the optical couplers between QuintessenceLabs’ fiber-based
continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) equipment and a
free-space channel.
· Install, calibrate, & demonstrate the CV-QKD equipment at the PISCES test
site. This will verify the CV-QKD is working at high altitude prior to
conducting any free-space tests.
· Install the optical transmitter and receiver telescopes over a free-space link
at different levels of optical losses.
· Assessment of the CV-QKD link budget and of the modeling of expected
key rate in realistic conditions.
· Demonstrate launching and intercepting the keys generated by the CV-QKD
equipment from the transmitter telescope to the receiver telescope.
· Demonstrate successful key exchange with the cryptographic keys
imprinted on the phase and amplitude quadratures of a bright coherent laser
beam at the test site.
· Field testing of Tx and Rx setups over a short-range optical free-space
channel, with experimental simulation of losses, to demonstrate the
application of the technology to this domain and the feasibility of deep
space quantum communication.
· At the end of Phase I, we will have demonstrated the ability of an astronaut
to carry, set up, align, calibrate, and test a CV-QKD communications
network in an analog lunar test site.
Fig.
3
Retroreflector
placed
on
the
Moon
by
the
Apollo
astronauts.
Fig.
4
Long-­‐term
research
for
secure
space
communicaCons.

3. Quantum
technology
holds
the
poten2al
to
revolu2onize
NASA's
mission
and
effec2veness.
Guaranteed
secure
communica2ons
are
cri2cal
to
NASA
assets
and
to
the
lives
of
NASA
astronauts.
We
propose
a
fundamentally
new
quantum-­‐based
communica2on
system
based
on
con2nuous
variable
quantum
communica2ons
that
will
provide
uncondi2onal
informa2on
security
to
NASA
assets
on
the
Moon,
to
Mars,
to
asteroids
and
deep
space.
Our
proposal
will
demonstrate
the
feasibility
of
this
system
in
an
analog
lunar
environment,
bringing
quantum
communica2ons
to
the
next-­‐genera2on
NASA
manned
spaceflight
program.
Such
a
capacity
will
provide
NASA
a
permanent
solu2on
to
its
secure
communica2on
needs,
and
is
directly
responsive
to
the
stated
NASA
need
for
uncondi'onal informa'on security referenced
in
the
2010
NASA
Communica2on
and
Naviga2on
Systems
Technology
Roadmap.
Our
visionary
approach
brings
together
the
exper2se
of
the
two
leading
European
groups
involved
in
demonstra2ng
first-­‐ever
quantum
communica2ons
over
a
144
km
free-­‐space
op2cal
path,
with
the
quantum
and
op2cal
communica2ons
exper2se
of
NASA
JPL,
the
con2nuous
variable
quantum
communica2ons
exper2se
of
Quintessence
Labs,
and
the
lunar
and
astronaut
training
facili2es
at
the
Pacific
Interna2onal
Space
Center
for
Explora2on
Systems
on
Hawaii.
Consequently,
we
offer
the
best
global
team
for
developing
the
first-­‐ever
free-­‐space
con2nuous
variable
quantum
communica2ons
prototype
with
demonstra2ng
the
feasibility
for
it
to
be
set
up
and
calibrated
by
an
astronaut
on
analogue
lunar
terrain,
echoing
the
famous
placement
of
lunar
retroreflectors
by
the
Apollo
astronauts.
NASA
is
already
moving
towards
op2cal
communica2ons
for
higher
bandwidth
channels.
Currently
the
security
of
those
channels
is
based
on
the
standard
public
key
infrastructure
(PKI).
As
PKI
is
only
condi2onally
secure
it
can,
in
principle
(and
prac2ce)
be
compromised
with
sufficient
compu2ng
power.
This
exposes
NASA’s
space
assets
and
astronauts
to
poten2al
harm
if
an
adversary
inserts
damaging
control
inputs
into
communica2ons
commanding
and
controlling
those
assets.
We
propose
a
demonstra2on
kit
that
an
astronaut
could
set
up
to
demonstrate
the
feasibility
of
deploying
a
secure
quantum
communica2ons
network
between
the
Earth,
the
Moon,
Mars,
and
deep
space
missions
based
on
the
use
of
con2nuous
quantum
variable
communica2ons.
This
type
of
quantum
communica2ons
is
ideally
suited
to
integra2on
into
conven2onal
NASA
op2cal
communica2ons,
as
it
relies
upon
similar
kinds
of
lasers
and
op2cal
elements.
Hence,
this
concept
represents
a
poten2al
breakthrough
in
free-­‐space
quantum
communica2ons
for
NASA.
The
con2nuous
variable
quantum
communica2ons
system
would
be
used
to
securely
establish
matching
cryptographic
keys
over
an
(poten2ally)
insecure
channel.
Therea]er,
those
keys
could
be
used
in
any
secure
classical
cryptographic
system
to
guarantee
authen2ca2on
of
command
and
control
inputs
sent
to
any
NASA
space
asset.
Ul2mately,
this
new
way
of
conduc2ng
communica2ons
will
protect
NASA
assets
and
the
lives
of
NASA
astronauts.
Project
Summary
from
NASA/NIAC
Phase
I
Development and Astronaut Deployment of a Secure
Quantum Space Channel Prototype