Last week, researchers from the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) and the PCRL – Photonics Communications Research Laboratory collaborated on a remarkable joint experimental campaign at the stunning Aristarchos Observatory, located at an altitude of 2,340 meters on Mount Helmos in Peloponnese, Greece.
🔬 Supported by the EU-funded LaiQa Project, which uses Helmos OGS as one of its key infrastructure testbeds, this campaign achieved several critical milestones.
🚀 Light at the C-band telecom wavelength was successfully transmitted through the 2.3-meter Aristarchos telescope and precisely coupled into an optical Single Mode Fiber. This accomplishment represents a major leap toward integrating the Aristarchos telescope into classical and quantum communication systems.
Additionally, the team evaluated daylight background noise using Single Photon Detectors. Effective noise mitigation techniques were demonstrated, reinforcing the viability of satellite-to-ground Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) communication.
✨ This campaign highlights cutting-edge advancements in optical technology, bringing us closer to innovative and secure communication solutions via QKD and laser-based satellite networks.
Congratulations to the entire team for this groundbreaking achievement and their invaluable contributions to the future of quantum communications! 👏✨
