Spacetime effects on satellite-based quantum communications

Understand

We investigate the consequences of space-time being curved on space-based quantum communication protocols.

• We analyze tasks that require either the exchange of single photons in a certain entanglement distribution protocol or beams of light in a continuous-variable quantum key distribution scheme.
• We find that gravity affects the propagation of photons, therefore adding additional noise to the channel for the transmission of information.
• The effects could be measured with current technology.