Our society is critically reliant on satellite-to-earth communications for a range of daily activities, from navigation and weather predictions to supporting national security. Current radio frequency systems carry limited data, creating a data downlink bottleneck. Laser communications promises a technology revolution by offering data rates at least 10x faster than existing radio transmission while avoiding spectrum licensing constraints. It’s also compatible with quantum communications for enhanced security. This provides a clear path to meet the growing global demand for space-to-ground communications and support the expanding satellite communications market.
In December 2023, ANU launched the Quantum Optical Ground Station (QOGS), a first for Australia. The QOGS is equipped with advanced instrumentation including adaptive optics and quantum technology to enable high performance and enhanced security. ANU technology enables communication links in challenging environments for a range of mission scenarios from LEO and GEO to lunar and deep space. This will enhance system-wide resilience by augmenting existing telecommunication infrastructure.
With quantum capability built in, this ground station will also provide the underlying infrastructure to connect quantum devices and establish a quantum internet for improved computation, sensing accuracy, and provably secure communications.
The ANU Quantum Optical Ground Station is supported by funding from the ACT Government, with additional support from the Australian Space Agency, CSIRO, TESAT and the ANU Institute for Space.
Mission goals
Create an integrated, quantum-upgraded, laser communications network, providing significantly improved telecommunications capability, security, and resilience across Australia.
ANU team
- Professor Francis Bennet
- Dr Jie Zhao, Dr Michael Copeland
- Dr Doris Grosse
- Dr Elisa Jager
- Associate Professor Matt Sellars
- Dr Jamie Soon
- Associate Professor Tony Travouillon
Milestones
- Under the iLAuNCH projects “Next Generation Satellite Communications” and "Project SWIFT: SHOT Southern Hemisphere Optical Terminal”, ANU and industry partner Optus are developing next-generation scalable adaptive optics to enable the next generation of communications between space and the ground, providing Australia with world-leading capabilities in advanced communications. These projects will raise the TRL of ANU IP while upskilling industry to be ready for the optical communication revolution coming to space.
- DSOC: A successful demonstration of deep-space optical communication technology took place on Tuesday 10 June 2025 using the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) at Siding Spring Observatory and the 70 cm Quantum Optical Ground Station at Mt Stromlo. At the time, NASA's Psyche spacecraft was located 1.565 astronomical units away—between Mars and Jupiter—with a one-way light time of 780 seconds. Both telescopes were able to find and receive laser light, marking a significant milestone for the project and constituted a world first.
- We’re thrilled to be partnering with DSTG to deliver cutting-edge quantum research to enhance secure timing technologies. The uniquely Australian research project aims to create and deliver one of the most challenging components of a quantum-secured timing network, a ground-to-satellite optical quantum link. ANU will upgrade the QOGS to support uplink and downlink of quantum information over a ground-to-space quantum optical link.
- ANU is partnering with Quintessence Labs (QLabs) through the Australian Economic Accelerator to achieve quantum secure communications over a free-space optical channel. As part of this project, we’re establishing a 10 km free-space testbed between Mt Stromlo and the ANU campus to prove the performance of the QLabs qOptica quantum key distribution system in this environment, raising the TRL of the combined system and providing infrastructure to continue quantum communication capability development.
- ANU is leading the development of an integrated, optical satellite telecommunications research network, proposed Australasian Optical Ground Station Network (AOGSN), with our partners at the University of Western Australia, Defence Science and Technology Group, and the University of Auckland. The AOGSN will enable next-generation, secure satellite communications for Australia’s nation-critical capabilities.
Breaking news
InSpace Mission Specialist A/Prof Francis Bennet, project update
22 Aug 2025Associate Professor Francis Bennet is just one of our ANU Institute for Space | InSpace Mission Specialists heading to IAC 2025 Sydney this September to take part in talks and discussions and meet with stakeholders and partners for the many projects he and his team are working on.