Space-Qualified Nanosatellite Electronics Platform for Photon Pair Experiments

We report the design and implementation of a complete electronics platform for conducting a quantum optics experiment that will be operated on board a 1U CubeSat (a 10 × 10 × 10 cm satellite). The quantum optics experiment is designed to produce polarization-entangled photon pairs using nonlinear optical crystals and requires opto-electronic components such as a pump laser, single photon detectors, and liquid crystal-based polarization rotators in addition to passive optical elements. The platform provides mechanical support for the optical assembly. It also communicates autonomously with the host satellite to provide experiment data for transmission to a ground station. A limited number of commands can be transmitted from ground to the platform enabling it to switch experimental modes. This platform requires less than 1.5 W for all operations, and is space qualified. The implementation of this electronics platform is a major step on the road to operating quantum communication experiments using nanosatellites.