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By Wang Min, reporter of China Science News

In the vast starry sky

There is a satellite that is unique

It is the first time in the world to realize quantum communication between satellite and ground

Initial construction of a "space-ground integrated" quantum secure communication system

It was independently developed by China.

Quantum Science Experimental Satellite "Micius"

The idea of ​​quantum satellite communication was born in 2003

By 2017, all scientific experiments scheduled for the "Mozi" mission will be completed.

Chinese scientists have spent 14 years

From following, running side by side to leading the "sprint"

It is the story of their pursuit of originality, accumulation of bits and pieces, and collaborative research.

Pan Jianwei, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor of the University of Science and Technology of China, introduced

The near future

"Quantum constellations" will also appear in the starry sky

Form a quantum communication network covering the whole world and providing services around the clock

Scientists may even be able to take quantum experiments to the moon

Ultra-long quantum entanglement distribution established between the Earth and the Moon

A deeper dive into the fundamentals of quantum physics

▲The overall view of "Mozi" passing through Nanshan Station in Urumqi, Xinjiang.

1996

Pan Jianwei graduated with a master's degree from USTC

Studying for a PhD in Austria

1997

Pan Jianwei and his colleagues achieved quantum teleportation for the first time in the world

This achievement is considered to be a pioneering work in quantum information experimental research.

Subsequently, quantum information has flourished internationally.

But at that time, domestic quantum information research was almost blank.

Not only few people understand

Sometimes it is even considered "pseudoscience"

In 2001, 31-year-old Pan Jianwei returned to China

Establishing a quantum physics and quantum information laboratory at USTC

Independently started quantum information research

Only in 2003

Pan Jianwei's research group published 7 papers as the first unit

But Pan Jianwei wants to do more than that

At that time, he came up with a "crazy idea":

Using satellites to achieve long-distance quantum entanglement distribution

▲Pan Jianwei's experimental team is discussing data.

2003 to 2005

Pan Jianwei's team completed

China's pioneering work in free-space quantum communication

The world's first 13 km free space

Quantum entanglement distribution and quantum communication experiments

Proven quantum entanglement can penetrate the atmosphere

2006

Pan Jianwei proposed his "crazy idea" to the Chinese Academy of Sciences

2007

Chinese Academy of Sciences launches two major knowledge innovation projects

With the support of two major projects

Pan Jianwei's team simulated the transmission loss between the satellite and the ground

Moving objects with hot air balloons etc.

Simulating quantum satellite motion and other important experiments

These laid a solid technical foundation for the later "Mozi"

January 2011

Pan Jianwei's team reached a critical turning point

Chinese Academy of Sciences launched

Strategic Priority Research Program "Space Science"

Four scientific satellites including the "Quantum Science Experimental Satellite" were selected

December 2011

Satellite project comprehensive demonstration report passed expert review

Finally, after 5 years of hard work

The quantum science experimental satellite "Micius" was finally successfully developed

The exciting moment has arrived

August 16, 2016

The world's first quantum science experimental satellite "Micius" was launched into space

China is the first to turn the concept of quantum science experimental satellite into reality

▲On August 16, 2016, "Mozi" was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

June 16, 2017

"Mozi" achieved its first major achievement after launch

The first time in the world

Thousand-kilometer-level satellite-to-ground bidirectional quantum entanglement distribution experiment

On this basis, the spatial scale is strictly satisfied

The nonlocality test of quantum mechanics of “Einstein locality condition”

August 10, 2017

"Mozi" once again achieved two major breakthroughs

The first satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution at the thousand-kilometer level

First Thousand-Kilometer-Level Quantum Teleportation from Ground to Satellite

"Mozi" successfully achieved all three established scientific goals ahead of schedule

September 29, 2017

Chinese Academy of Sciences and Austrian Academy of Sciences

Two teams used the "Mozi"

Launched the 7,600-kilometer Beijing-Vienna

Intercontinental Quantum Key Distribution

The "space-ground integrated" quantum secure communication link has been opened

Towards a global quantum secure communication network

A solid step forward

Implementation of the "Mozi" project

It has also triggered a "quantum" trend internationally

NASA releases white paper

Hope to re-establish "American leadership"

The European Space Agency also released a white paper on space quantum technology

Science magazine published an editorial stating

China's "Mozi" sounded the alarm for the US government

This ultimately led to the passage of the National Quantum Action Act in the United States in 2018.

so far

"Mozi" is still working hard

Future-proof

Quantum can go even further

Pan Jianwei Introduction

In the near future

There will be medium- and high-orbit quantum satellites and low-orbit micro-nano satellites in the sky

The "Quantum Constellation"

The "quantum constellation" is connected to the optical fiber quantum network on the ground

A practical global generalized quantum secure communication network can be built

Quantum technology will also bring more possibilities

Redefinition of the time unit "second",

Research on quantum gravity, gravitational wave detection, etc. will then be launched

The distribution of Earth-Moon quantum entanglement is no longer a pure dream

Keep your feet on the ground and look up at the stars

Pan Jianwei said

“We are very hopeful about the future.”

China Science Daily will publish the full text tomorrow (August 19):

The world's first quantum satellite was born here