This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the link budget for free-space optical systems involving Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. We develop a detailed model of the satellite-to-ground channel that accounts for the primary physical processes affecting transmittance: atmospheric absorption and scattering, free-space diffraction, and turbulence-induced fluctuations. The study introduces a general method for computing transmittance along a slant path between a satellite and an optical ground station, incorporating zenith angle, slant range, and altitude-dependent attenuation. The proposed framework is intended to support the design and evaluation of space-based optical links and serves as a critical tool for defining technical specifications in satellite communication demonstrators and simulations. Numerical estimates are provided to illustrate the magnitude of losses under typical operational conditions, including the role of aperture averaging. In addition to the link budget analysis, we introduce a satellite-based quantum use case. We propose a scheme for quantum state tomography performed on states generated by an onboard photon source on an LEO or MEO satellite and transmitted to the optical ground station. This approach enables continuous verification of the quality of quantum resources that can be used to perform quantum protocols within quantum information networks.
This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the link budget for free-space optical systems involving Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. We develop a detailed model of the satellite-to-ground channel that accounts for the primary physical processes affecting transmittance: atmospheric absorption and scattering, free-space diffraction, and turbulence-induced fluctuations. The study introduces a general method for computing transmittance along a slant path between a satellite and an optical ground station, incorporating zenith angle, slant range, and altitude-dependent attenuation. The proposed framework is intended to support the design and evaluation of space-based optical links and serves as a critical tool for defining technical specifications in satellite communication demonstrators and simulations. Numerical estimates are provided to illustrate the magnitude of losses under typical operational conditions, including the role of aperture averaging. In addition to the link budget analysis, we introduce a satellite-based quantum use case. We propose a scheme for quantum state tomography performed on states generated by an onboard photon source on an LEO or MEO satellite and transmitted to the optical ground station. This approach enables continuous verification of the quality of quantum resources that can be used to perform quantum protocols within quantum information networks.
The establishment of quantum communication links over a global scale is enabled by satellite nodes. We examine the influence of the Earth's atmosphere on the performance of quantum optical communication channels with emphasis on the downlink scenario. We derive the geometrical path length between a moving low Earth orbit satellite and an optical ground station as a function of the ground observer's zenith angle, his geographical latitude, and the meridian inclination angle of the satellite. We show that the signal distortions due to regular atmospheric refraction, atmospheric absorption, and turbulence have a strong dependence on the zenith angle. The observed saturation of transmittance fluctuations for large zenith angles is explained. The probability distribution of the transmittance for slant propagation paths is derived, which enables us to perform the security analysis of decoy-state protocols implemented via satellite-mediated links.
We present a model and a computation of signal losses in satellite-to-ground optical communication links for an low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operating in the C-band, with an optical ground station (OGS) located in Zagreb, Croatia. The total loss estimate includes contributions from satellite and OGS telescope gains, free-space loss, atmospheric attenuation, pointing error, power scintillation loss, optical transmission in the Coudé-path, losses due to the optical elements in the OGS, single- mode fiber loss, and quantum efficiency of the photodetector. Understanding these losses is crucial for estimating secure key rates and distilled keys for the quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol that will be used between planned European satellite for quantum communication and the optical ground station in Zagreb. We show that the total loss ranges from 29.91 dB to 56.71 dB, depending on the elevation angle.
The efficient coupling of photons from a free-space quantum channel into a single-mode optical fiber (SMF) has important implications to quantum network concepts involving SMF interfaces to quantum detectors, atomic systems, integrated photonics and direct coupling to a fiber network. Propagation through atmospheric turbulence however leads to wavefront errors that degrade mode-matching with SMFs. In a free-space quantum channel, this leads to photon losses in proportion to the severity of the aberration. This is particularly problematic for satellite-Earth quantum channels where atmospheric turbulence can lead to significant wavefront errors. This report considers propagation from a transmitter in low-Earth orbit to a terrestrial ground station and evaluates the efficiency with which photons couple either through a circular field stop or into a SMF situated in the focal plane of the optical receiver. The effects of atmospheric turbulence on the quantum channel are calculated numerically and quantified through the quantum bit error rate and secure key generation rates in a decoy-state BB84 protocol. Numerical simulations include the statistical nature of Kolmogorov turbulence, sky radiance, and an adaptive optics system under closed loop control.
Abstract Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides information-theoretic security for future communication networks by exploiting the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. However, satellite-to-ground QKD links suffer significant performance degradation due to atmospheric turbulence, absorption, scattering, and satellite-induced pointing errors. This paper investigates the BB84 QKD protocol over a Free-Space Optical (FSO) channel modeled using the Gamma–Gamma distribution, which accurately captures both small-scale and large-scale atmospheric irradiance fluctuations. Closed-form and numerical results for outage probability and Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER) are presented under weak, moderate, and strong turbulence regimes. The Secure Key Rate (SKR) is analyzed as a function of link distance under clear and foggy weather conditions. Additionally, the impact of satellite vibration is evaluated using a jitter-dependent pointing error model, demonstrating that misalignment significantly reduces link reliability. Simulation results show that strong turbulence conditions introduce more than 15 dB SNR penalty compared to clear-sky operation, while haze conditions limit QKD range to under 8–10 km. These findings provide practical performance benchmarks for Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) quantum downlinks in realistic atmospheric environments. The results provide practical insights for electronic receiver design and system implementation of satellite quantum communication links.
Abstract Advances in satellite quantum communications aim at reshaping the global telecommunication network by increasing the security of the transferred information. Here, we study the effects of atmospheric turbulence in continuous-variable entanglement distribution and quantum teleportation in the optical regime between a ground station and a satellite. More specifically, we study the degradation of entanglement due to various error sources in the distribution, namely, diffraction, atmospheric attenuation, turbulence, and detector inefficiency, in both downlink and uplink scenarios. As the fidelity of a quantum teleportation protocol using these distributed entangled resources is not sufficient, we include an intermediate station for either state generation, or beam refocusing, in order to reduce the effects of atmospheric turbulence and diffraction, respectively. The results show the feasibility of free-space entanglement distribution and quantum teleportation in downlink paths up to the LEO region, but also in uplink paths with the help of the intermediate station. Finally, we complete the study with microwave-optical comparison in bad weather situations, and with the study of horizontal paths in ground-to-ground and inter-satellite quantum communication.
Optical quantum communication utilizing satellite platforms has the potential to extend the reach of quantum key distribution (QKD) from terrestrial limits of ∼200 km to global scales. We have developed a thorough numerical simulation using realistic simulated orbits and incorporating the effects of pointing error, diffraction, atmosphere and telescope design, to obtain estimates of the loss and background noise which a satellite-based system would experience. Combining with quantum optics simulations of sources and detection, we determine the length of secure key for QKD, as well as entanglement visibility and achievable distances for fundamental experiments. We analyse the performance of a low Earth orbit satellite for downlink and uplink scenarios of the quantum optical signals. We argue that the advantages of locating the quantum source on the ground justify a greater scientific interest in an uplink as compared to a downlink. An uplink with a ground transmitter of at least 25 cm diameter and a 30 cm receiver telescope on the satellite could be used to successfully perform QKD multiple times per week with either an entangled photon source or with a weak coherent pulse source, as well as perform long-distance Bell tests and quantum teleportation. Our model helps to resolve important design considerations such as operating wavelength, type and specifications of sources and detectors, telescope designs, specific orbits and ground station locations, in view of anticipated overall system performance.