Viable Satellite Free Space Optical Quantum Key Distribution Technologies (ViSatQT)

Major organisations rely on strong encryption, including the process of encryption key agreement. Future quantum computers have the potential to compromise key agreement schemes based on asymmetric encryption and widely deployed Public Key Infrastructure.

Over long distances and without quantum repeaters, Business Continuity (BC) can be maintained if commercially and technically viable Satellite Quantum Key Distribution (SatQKD) becomes available in time. Current free space optical approaches are not considered commercially viable because they can only operate at night time and in clear sky conditions; and by waiting for overhead satellites in Low Earth Orbit.

The future BC market, anticipated to be worth billions of pounds, will be addressed by this project through accelerated commercialisation of the SatQKD technologies necessary for operation during daylight hours, cloudy skies and other weather conditions. The project will combine and align technical developments from UK SME's within a system context from Airbus: a major provider of UK-developed secure satellite communication systems.

The objective of this project is to prepare new modular flexible system architectures, technology landscape surveys and technology development roadmaps for lower cost, longer range, free space optical quantum communications directed towards institutional and commercial customers.

The primary focus of Innovation in this project is to extend the envelope of Satellite-to-Ground QKD operations beyond the current state of the art: to enable daytime operation, cloud tolerance and reach key distribution rates several orders of magnitude faster than existing demonstrators.

The project will influence and enhance the coherence of academic research, SME developments, and prime system integration readiness for operational quantum secured communications.