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IEEE International Conference on Mobile Ad-Hoc and Sensor Systems (MASS)

LACE: Loss-Aware Constellation Design for Global-Scale Entanglement Distribution

Huayue Gu, Runzhe Mo, Quntao Zhuang, Ruozhou Yu

Published Oct 6, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum networks are essential to establishing long-distance entanglements for many advanced quantum applications. Recent breakthroughs have opened up the possibility of creating a satellite-assisted global-scale quantum network. This paper proposes LACE, a Loss-Aware Constellation Design framework for a new type of satellite-assisted passive-optical quantum networks. The goal of LACE is to ensure lowest possible worst-case loss for ground-to-ground entanglement distribution with a fixed number of satellites. Considering high photon loss and beam propagation, we first develop a detailed loss model, incorporating factors such as beam propagation and diffraction, atmospheric turbulence, and beam truncation during end-to-end entanglement distribution. We then design an algorithm to estimate the end-to-end loss given a specific network constellation design, and propose a constellation design framework to find a suitable constellation design with as low end-to-end loss as possible. Using LACE, we explore diverse satellite constellations under practical constraints, which reveals critical insights into how network parameters and link connectivity affect end-to-end entanglement loss. Notably, we find that a constellation with 25 orbits and 32 satellites per orbit with an altitude 550 km can establish a channel with approximately 30 dB loss, corresponding to only 150 km of ground fiber distance, between ground stations separated by nearly 20,000 km. These insights provide concrete guidance for future constellation design, paving the way toward global-scale entanglement distribution.

DOI
10.1109/mass66014.2025.00043

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Quantum networks are essential to establishing long-distance entanglements for many advanced quantum applications. Recent breakthroughs have opened up the possibility of creating a satellite-assisted global-scale quantum network. This paper proposes LACE, a Loss-Aware Constellation Design framework for a new type of satellite-assisted passive-optical quantum networks. The goal of LACE is to ensure lowest possible worst-case loss for ground-to-ground entanglement distribution with a fixed number of satellites. Considering high photon loss and beam propagation, we first develop a detailed loss model, incorporating factors such as beam propagation and diffraction, atmospheric turbulence, and beam truncation during end-to-end entanglement distribution. We then design an algorithm to estimate the end-to-end loss given a specific network constellation design, and propose a constellation design framework to find a suitable constellation design with as low end-to-end loss as possible. Using LACE, we explore diverse satellite constellations under practical constraints, which reveals critical insights into how network parameters and link connectivity affect end-to-end entanglement loss. Notably, we find that a constellation with 25 orbits and 32 satellites per orbit with an altitude 550 km can establish a channel with approximately 30 dB loss, corresponding to only 150 km of ground fiber distance, between ground stations separated by nearly 20,000 km. These insights provide concrete guidance for future constellation design, paving the way toward global-scale entanglement distribution.
Recent technological advancements in satellite based quantum communication has made it a promising technology for realizing global scale quantum networks. Due to better loss distance scaling compared to ground based fiber communication, satellite quantum communication can distribute high quality quantum entanglements among ground stations that are geographically separated at very long distances. This work focuses on optimal distribution of bipartite entanglements to a set of pair of ground stations using a constellation of orbiting satellites. In particular, we characterize the optimal satellite-to-ground station transmission scheduling policy with respect to the aggregate entanglement distribution rate subject to various resource constraints at the satellites and ground stations. We cast the optimal transmission scheduling problem as an integer linear programming problem and solve it efficiently for some specific scenarios. Our framework can also be used as a benchmark tool to measure the performance of other potential transmission scheduling policies.
Abstract Recent experimental breakthroughs in satellite quantum communications have opened up the possibility of creating a global quantum internet using satellite links. This approach appears to be particularly viable in the near term, due to the lower attenuation of optical signals from satellite to ground, and due to the currently short coherence times of quantum memories. The latter prevents ground-based entanglement distribution using atmospheric or optical-fiber links at high rates over long distances. In this work, we propose a global-scale quantum internet consisting of a constellation of orbiting satellites that provides a continuous, on-demand entanglement distribution service to ground stations. The satellites can also function as untrusted nodes for the purpose of long-distance quantum-key distribution. We develop a technique for determining optimal satellite configurations with continuous coverage that balances both the total number of satellites and entanglement-distribution rates. Using this technique, we determine various optimal satellite configurations for a polar-orbit constellation, and we analyze the resulting satellite-to-ground loss and achievable entanglement-distribution rates for multiple ground station configurations. We also provide a comparison between these entanglement-distribution rates and the rates of ground-based quantum repeater schemes. Overall, our work provides the theoretical tools and the experimental guidance needed to make a satellite-based global quantum internet a reality.
Satellite-based quantum links are a promising enabler of long-distance entanglement distribution, overcoming the exponential losses of optical fibers. In uplink architectures, entangled photons are generated at ground stations and transmitted to orbiting satellites, reducing space-segment complexity but introducing significant atmospheric and geometric losses. Single-satellite dual-uplink configurations are additionally limited by the requirement of simultaneous visibility between both ground stations and the satellite. In this work, we investigate a dual-uplink dual-satellite network architecture and compare its performance with the single-satellite scheme under identical physical assumptions. The proposed topology introduces an inter-satellite link (ISL) that decouples the ground-station separation from the atmospheric uplink geometry. A realistic channel model is employed, incorporating geometric attenuation, atmospheric turbulence, background noise, and Bell-state measurement efficiency. The overall success probability and practical fidelity are evaluated as functions of satellite altitude and ground-station separation. Our results show that while the single-satellite configuration is suitable for regional-scale networks, it becomes infeasible for large separations due to geometric constraints. The proposed dual-satellite architecture mitigates this limitation and significantly extends the achievable communication distance, representing a key step toward scalable quantum internet infrastructures.
A large scale quantum network requires the distribution of high-fidelity end-to-end entanglement. To overcome the range limitations inherent to terrestrial fiber, a leading architecture has emerged: satellite-based sources transmitting entanglement to quantum repeaters on the ground. By bridging the gap between abstract analytical frameworks and computationally heavy numerical simulations, this paper provides the first quantitative answer to the question of such a network's achievable performance with current and near-term space technology, while accounting for entanglement swapping and purification. This is achieved by integrating a detailed physical model of a satellite-to-ground link into an analytical entanglement resource estimation framework for quantum repeaters, enabling an optimization of the end-to-end entanglement rate. Our analysis, performed across leading quantum hardware platforms, shows that Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations combined with quantum repeaters employing Neutral Atom or Nitrogen and Silicon Vacancy qubits, could enable a global quantum network, distributing entanglement over distances up to 20,000 km, sufficient for connecting any two points on Earth. This work highlights the major bottlenecks in space and quantum hardware technologies, which need to be addressed, thereby guiding informed investments necessary for enabling a large scale quantum network.
Satellite-based quantum networks are emerging as a promising solution for the development of a global quantum internet in the near future. The ability to leverage the advantageous lower attenuation of optical signals from satellites to ground presents an exciting opportunity to establish a robust and secure quantum communication infrastructure on a global scale. By utilizing a constellation of satellites, it becomes feasible to continuously distribute high-fidelity quantum entanglements among ground stations over long distances, overcoming the limitations of traditional terrestrial-based quantum communication systems. In this article, we first provide a brief survey of existing solutions for satellite-based entanglement distribution, highlighting the various approaches and technologies that have been employed in this rapidly evolving field. We then delve into a formulated optimal entanglement distribution problem, aiming to optimize the distribution of quantum entanglement resources across the satellite network to maximize efficiency and reliability. This problem is addressed through a detailed exploration of several different methodologies and algorithms, each tailored to specific operational settings and constraints. Our experimental results confirm the efficiency of these approaches and provide valuable insights into their practical implementation and performance. Finally, we identify several key directions for further study and development in the realm of satellite-based quantum networks.
The expansion of satellite-based quantum networks requires adaptive routing mechanisms that can sustain entanglement under dynamic orbital and atmospheric conditions. Conventional schemes, often tailored to static or idealised topologies, fail to capture the combined effects of orbital motion, fading, and trust variability in inter-satellite links. This work proposes an \textit{adaptive entanglement-aware routing framework} that jointly accounts for orbital geometry, atmospheric attenuation, and multi-parameter link evaluation. The routing metric integrates fidelity, trust, and key-rate weights to maintain connectivity and mitigate loss from turbulence and fading. Monte Carlo simulations across multiple orbital densities (ρ=10−6ρ= 10^{-6}ρ=10−6~km−3^{-3}−3) and environmental regimes, standard atmosphere, strong turbulence, and clear-sky LEO show up to a 275\% improvement in key generation rate and a 15\% increase in effective entanglement fidelity over existing adaptive methods. The framework achieves sub-linear path-length scaling with network size and remains robust for fading variances up to σfade=0.1σ_{\mathrm{fade}}=0.1σfade​=0.1, demonstrating strong potential for future global quantum constellations.