Quantum Meets Space and Sustainability

This workshop considered industry challenges such as GPS blocking, space junk, and environmental monitoring. We discussed quantum solutions to the business needs for greater security, precision, improved sensing and greater speed as outlined by Mark Rocket, CEO of Kea Aerospace.

Australia's former Chief Scientist Dr Cathy Foley explained the challenges of ground to satellite transmission and the need for ground infrastructure. Dodd-Walls Centre Associate Investigator John Cater told us about the goal of a quantum network using satellites in space. Atmospheric and climate scientist, Greg Bodeker raised some fascinating conundrums in the sustainability sector around license to operate and the challenges of climate modelling. University of Canterbury sustainability lecturer, Dr Kate Prendergast saw value in quantum for sustainability businesses. Dodd-Walls Centre Principal Investigator Professor Harald Schwefel explained that he’s working on replacing a near-defunct NASA satellite that measures the ozone layer, with a tiny piece of quantum and photonic tech-in-a-box.