Heriot-Watt University has broken ground on a new £2.5 million Optical Ground Station facility in Edinburgh, Scotland, which will enable space innovation, environmentalism, and cybersecurity research. The state-of-the-art telescope, known as the Quantum Communications Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS), is scheduled to be fully operational by late Autumn 2024. Led by Dr Ross Donaldson, the project aims to demonstrate and test satellite quantum secure communications, maintaining and growing the UK’s strength in quantum technologies.
The facility will feature advanced cameras, sensors, and photonic technologies, allowing researchers to track satellites with high precision and develop new techniques for finding objects in space. The telescope may also open opportunities for teams to explore new de-orbiting techniques for small space debris using lasers. Key partners involved in the project include the Universities of Bristol, Strathclyde, and York, as well as the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space Facility and companies like Celestia UK, renowned for its expertise in antenna systems for satellite tracking.
Advancing Space Innovation and Cybersecurity with Heriot-Watt University’s Optical Ground Station
Heriot-Watt University has broken ground on a new £2.5M Optical Ground Station facility in Edinburgh, Scotland, which will demonstrate and test satellite quantum secure communications. This state-of-the-art telescope is being built as part of the Quantum Communications Hub project, funded through the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. The facility is scheduled to be fully operational by late Autumn 2024.
The new facility will enable researchers to tackle future cyberattacks by developing methods to send secure transmissions via satellites. It will also unlock new research on space environmentalism alongside innovative R&D activities for future laser communication networks, providing high bandwidth communications services like 6G and beyond. The telescope may also open opportunities for teams to explore new de-orbiting techniques for small space-debris using lasers.
The facility will feature a plethora of cameras, sensors, and other photonic technologies, enabling it to expand its capabilities for both UK-based and international researchers and industry contacts. It will be directly connected to a new University campus optical fibre network, allowing innovative teams to demonstrate deployment of optical, quantum, and hybrid communication networks.
Enhancing Space Environmentalism with Advanced Telescope Capabilities
The Optical Ground Station will support space environmentalism by finding debris, accurately tracking satellites, and developing new techniques to find objects that haven’t been seen before. The telescope’s high latitude location offers the chance to track space junk and debris in polar orbits for long periods of time, which may allow it to identify smaller objects.
Dr. Tim Spiller, director of the Quantum Communications Hub, emphasized the importance of satellites in future worldwide quantum communications, stating that “in-orbit demonstrator missions are essential in proving the UK’s capabilities as a leader in secure quantum communications.” The ground-based receiver is clearly a key element of any mission, and the Hub Optical Ground Station will play a crucial role in this endeavour.
Fostering Innovation and Collaboration at Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University has world-leading expertise in quantum communications and associated technologies. The new HOGS facility represents a major step towards creating a ‘space cluster’ on the institution’s Edinburgh campus. Professor Gill Murray, deputy principal of business and enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, welcomed the work beginning on site, stating that “our researchers and students bring fresh perspectives, diverse skill sets, and a passion for discovery.”
By actively engaging with businesses that operate in the space sector, the university can push the boundaries of what is possible. Through forging partnerships with industry partners, business leaders, and government, Heriot-Watt University can fully maximise resources like the new Optical Ground Station to channel academic energy into practical solutions, driving advancements that benefit both higher education and broader society.
Supporting Sustainability Goals and Fostering Industry Partnerships
Graham McPhail, head of property strategy at Heriot-Watt University, highlighted the benefits of having the Optical Ground Station on the university’s campus. The facility will further elevate Heriot-Watt’s space and quantum potential beyond those offered by other research parks. Companies occupying Heriot-Watt Research Park can make full use of the amenities available on the campus in a location that offers unrivalled access to Scotland’s capital city and the central belt.
The university is also supporting its wider sustainability goals, ensuring it uses existing campus infrastructure and minimises transport costs wherever possible. Operating from the campus means students studying the new Aerospace Engineering degree and aligned qualifications can benefit from access, helping the University to produce workplace-ready graduates who are able to meet the requirements of this emerging sector.
Paving the Way for an Ultra-Secure Quantum Internet
Last month, Heriot-Watt announced it will lead a groundbreaking new quantum research hub that aims to develop technologies to progress an ultra-secure quantum internet of the future. The Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub is one of five new quantum technology hubs announced by the UK government as part of a £160 million investment to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of these revolutionary technologies. The IQN Hub will build on the work of the current Quantum Communications Hub, including space, to create new use cases for HOGS in the future.
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