Quantum Communication in Self-Organizing Satellite Networks: Challenges and Opportunities

Self-organizing satellite networks encompass the development of advanced communication technologies aimed at ensuring high-speed connectivity, enhanced security, and reliability for the next generation of wireless networks. However, traditional network security techniques cannot fulfill the trustworthy requirements in the self-organizing satellite networks. Based on the basic principles of quantum mechanics, quantum communication has clock synchronization characteristics and unbreakable security, which can realize functions and applications that are difficult to achieve in traditional networks. In the era of the rise of quantum techniques, embracing quantum communication technology is an obvious development trend. On the other hand, satellite networks, as a supplement to terrestrial networks, have been recognized as one of the important enabling technologies of future IoT networks. In order to achieve the trustworthy self-organizing satellite networks, it is necessary to effectively combine quantum communication with satellite networks. In this paper, we summarize, analyze and outlook the status quo of relevant technology development, existing research challenges and future development opportunities of quantum communication in the self-organizing satellite network scenario. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first visionary work on quantum communication and self-organizing satellite networks.