Quantum repeaters in space

Long-distance entanglement is a very precious resource, but its distribution is very difficult due to the exponential losses of light in optical fibres. A possible solution consists in the use of quantum repeaters, based on entanglement swapping (ES) or quantum error correction. Alternatively, satellite-based free-space optical links can be exploited, achieving better loss-distance scaling. We propose to combine these two ingredients, quantum repeaters and satellite-based links, into a scheme that allows to achieve entanglement distribution over global distances with a small number of intermediate untrusted nodes. The entanglement sources, placed on satellites, send quantum states encoded in photons towards orbiting quantum repeater stations, where ES is performed. The performance of this repeater chain is assessed in terms of the secret key rate achievable by the BBM92 cryptographic protocol. We perform a comparison with other repeater chain architectures and show that our scheme, even though more technically demanding, is superior in many situations of interest. Finally, we analyse strengths and weaknesses of the proposed scheme and discuss exemplary orbital configurations. The integration of satellite-based links with ground repeater networks can be envisaged to represent the backbone of the future quantum internet.