These are the voyages of Canada's first Quantum Satellite Mission - the Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat). Its upcoming mission: To explore strange new physics, and enable secure communication across Canada and around the world. To seek out new discoveries and new ways to communicate... To boldly send photons where none have gone before!
The Canadian Space Agency is preparing to launch Canada’s first Quantum Science Satellite, QEYSSat, which will circle the Earth in low-earth orbit (500km above the ground), and measure individual packets of light (photons) sent from telescopes on the ground up to the satellite. QEYSSat will demonstrate secure communication across Canada using quantum laser links, and help us explore foundational concepts in physics that cannot be tested on Earth. But how do we catch a photon in the stars? I will discuss challenges we face when bridging the gap between Quantum and Space, and review the current Quantum Space Race, including work being done in Waterloo on QEYSSat.
This talk is geared toward an upper year audience; as always, everyone is welcome to attend.
