On August 10, China's "Mozi" quantum science experimental satellite successfully realized high-speed quantum key distribution from satellite to ground for the first time in the world, which laid a reliable foundation for establishing the safest and most confidential quantum communication network in the world.
So what are Mozi's goals and tasks?
Quantum satellite is one of the first scientific experimental satellites in the space science pilot project of China Academy of Sciences. Its main scientific goal is to carry out high-speed quantum key distribution experiments between satellites and the earth, and on this basis, to carry out wide-area quantum key network experiments in order to make a major breakthrough in the practical application of space quantum communication. The second is to carry out quantum entanglement distribution and quantum teleportation experiments on the spatial scale, and to carry out experimental research on the completeness test of quantum mechanics on the spatial scale.
In the next two years, Mozi will carry out four experimental tasks for the first time in the world to achieve two scientific goals: to carry out the "satellite-ground high-speed quantum key distribution experiment" and to carry out the "wide-area quantum communication network experiment" on this basis, in order to make a major breakthrough in the practical application of space quantum communication; And carry out the "satellite-ground two-way entanglement distribution experiment" and "space-scale quantum teleportation experiment" to carry out the experimental research on the completeness test of space-scale quantum mechanics. In addition to satellites, four quantum communication ground stations have been built on the ground (located in Xinglong, Hebei, Urumqi, Xinjiang, Delingha, Qinghai and Lijiang, Yunnan) and the quantum teleportation experimental station in Ali, Tibet. In addition, scientists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna established ground stations in Vienna and Graz in cooperation with China.
What is the future application of Mozi?
After the launch of quantum satellite, the experimental system of quantum science integrating heaven and earth will be put into formal operation, and the large-scale optical fiber quantum communication backbone network project of "Beijing-Shanghai trunk line" is expected to be delivered in the second half of 20 16.
Thanks to the absolute security of quantum secure communication, quantum communication can be applied not only to people's daily communication, but also to the supply of energy such as water, electricity and gas and the communication guarantee of people's livelihood network infrastructure. It can also be applied to national defense, finance, commerce and other fields, which is bound to bring great changes to industry and technology.