Superdense teleportation and quantum key distribution for space applications

The transfer of quantum information over long distances has long been a goal of quantum information science and is required for many important quantum communication and computing protocols. When these channels are lossy and noisy, it is often impossible to directly transmit quantum states between two distant parties. We use a new technique called superdense teleportation to communicate quantum information deterministically with greatly reduced resources, simplified measurements, and decreased classical communication cost. These advantages make this technique ideal for communicating quantum information for space applications. We are currently implementing an superdense teleportation lab demonstration, using photons hyperentangled in polarization and temporal mode to communicate a special set of two-qubit, single-photon states between two remote parties. A slight modification of the system readily allows it to be used to implement quantum cryptography as well. We investigate the possibility of implementation from an Earth's orbit to ground. We will discuss our current experimental progress and the design challenges facing a practical demonstration of satellite-to-Earth SDT.