Grants and Contributions

The global space economy is growing rapidly, fueled largely by the proliferation of satellites in Earth orbit. Rather than continually launching new satellites, it is now technologically possible to perform satellite servicing, increasing satellite lifetimes, particularly for high-value satellites further away from Earth. Mission Control proposes to develop key autonomy algorithms and a mission operations software system that will advance the state-of-the-art in onboard autonomy for Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking, to be made commercially available for future satellite servicing operators. These technologies will be developed by upgrading our Orbital Autonomy Lab to a high visual fidelity hardware-in-the-loop facility. The advancement of autonomy algorithms, operations software, and simulation/validation infrastructure will advance Canada’s leadership in space robotics and autonomous satellite servicing, opening new capabilities for satellites to support our livelihood and economy on and off Earth.

The project aims at creating a relevant environment to integrate fiber and satellite links in a combined Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network. The environment will enable development of software suitable to deploy in a satellite payload and validate key routing protocols required for a mixed fiber and satellite QKD network. Cryptography is a pillar for secure communication, enabling many of the network-based social and financial interactions at the core of the modern society and economy. Cryptographic schemes are based on sharing cryptographic keys between the communicating parties and need technologies for establishing such keys. This is a challenge particularly for Canada, due to its geographical expanse. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) aims at creating shared cryptographic keys by exploiting the fundamental laws of quantum physics. Satellite-based QKD networks working in conjunction with terrestrial QKD networks expands the limited coverage range inherent in terrestrial QKD networks.

Satellites are critical infrastructure in our technologically advancing world. Daily, we use satellites to navigate, predict weather, and communicate. A successful cyberattack against space infrastructure could be devastating. To prevent such attack, satellites encrypt their communications using keys loaded before launch. If those keys are ever compromised after launch to space, there is no way to load new keys.

QEYnet is developing a solution to this problem using a technology called quantum key distribution (QKD). In QKD, keys are sent to the satellite using photons. Due to the laws of quantum mechanics, any attempt at eavesdropping on a QKD system can be detected, making the keys highly secure.

Though QKD does hold incredible promise, imperfections in the QKD hardware can result in unintended security vulnerabilities. This project will further advance QEYnet’s testing of novel countermeasures to these vulnerabilities, and advance QEYnet’s QKD technology toward commercial readiness.