On Thursday, March 13th 2025, we had the honor of welcoming a delegation from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for a series of insightful presentations and discussions on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and space communications technologies.
The visit began with an overview of PCRL’s research activities presented by Dr. Giannis Giannoulis, highlighting the lab’s contributions to QKD and space-related projects.
Following this, we had the pleasure of attending distinguished talks from:
🔹 SATOH Yohei (JAXA), who shared insights into Japan’s advancements in space technology, featuring an impressive image of Tanegashima Space Centre, often described as “the most beautiful rocket launch site in the world.”
🔹 Dr. Nikolaos Lyras (ESA), a former PCRL member now contributing to ESA’s space communications efforts in the Netherlands.
During the discussions, a key takeaway was the strong collaboration between Europe and Japan in optical space communications. While some have described the relationship as “at times rivals, at times partners,” Dr. Nikolaos Karafolas, Head of ESA Unit, emphasized that “we are only good partners.”
Following the presentations, the visit continued with a live demonstration at PCRL, providing a hands-on look at our latest advancements.
This meeting was an excellent opportunity to strengthen ties between PCRL, ESA, and JAXA, and we look forward to continued collaboration in the future.
