CHINESE QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS 2
Chinese Quantum Communication
The news that China launched its first ever quantum satellite communication was
broadcast first on August 15 2016 reaching the international audience with optimism on one
hand and deep suspicion on the other. China’s efforts in developing the quantum technology is
expected to have the most secure communications system throughout the world. The country’s
Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) was launched atop March-2D rocket from the
Jiuguan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert on Tuesday August 2016.
Initially, QUESS assignment will be for a year aimed at establishing a hack-free quantum
communication. The assignment will include transmitting keys that cannot be cracked from the
space down to the ground. The developments will provide valuable insight into the strange world
of quantum physics in which few nations have made meaningful breakthroughs (Wall 2016).The
basics involves signal transmission in which entangle particles are intimately connected to one
another though they are separated at vast distances. Any change at one particle always affects
others.
QUESS’ main assignment is to send messages back to the ground using entangled
photons, making it the most difficult transmission method to hack or leak information (Wall
2016). Besides, the technology contains secured measures that make it difficult for any attempts
to eavesdrop since any induced changes are picked up by a change in the photon state (Vallone et
al 2015). Many nations, including the United States are working towards the technology;
however, it appears China is the only country that has launched a satellite system to develop the
technology further. QUESS satellites weigh about 600 kilograms and will orbit the earth at an
attitude of 310 miles. QUESS will also vital in investigating quantum teleportation in which it
will beam out precise information to the ground station located in Tibet.
