A research team from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in collaboration with several research institutions in China and South Africa, has developed the world’s first quantum microsatellite and demonstrated real-time quantum key distribution (QKD) between the satellite and multiple compact, mobile ground stations.

Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat), a satellite demonstrating secure ground-to-space quantum communication, will soon orbit the earth. And the researchers at the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) that are making that happen, along with collaborators at the University of Calgary and the Institut national d'optique (INO), have published a white paper outlining a future mission opportunity to establish a step towards a Canada wide quantum internet.

In meticulous research, Raman Research Institute (RRI) scientists analysed existing open-source data available on three of India's most sophisticated observatory sites, and found that the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle, nestled in the pristine heights of Ladakh, as the prime candidate for this revolutionary technology.

To maintain and expand the United States’ leadership in the global race for quantum technology, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), member of the Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act, which would authorize $2.7 billion in federal funding to accelerate quantum research and development at federal science agencies for the next five years.

Currently scheduled for launch next year, QEYSSat will carry this small quantum source into space where it will send polarization-encoded photons between itself and ground stations on Earth. ReFQ is a small black box, built to withstand the vibrations of launch and the conditions of space. It has undergone rigorous in-lab testing and is now ready to be shipped to the researchers’ collaborator, Honeywell Aerospace, who is responsible for integrating this source into the main satellite.

SpeQtral, a leader in quantum communications technology, announces the launch of TarQis, a Mobile Quantum-Optical Ground Station (Q-OGS) designed to lower the barriers for access to secure communication through satellite Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). TarQis will work seamlessly with SpeQtral’s upcoming quantum satellites, allowing users to quickly familiarise and test satellite QKD technology, prove out use cases and prepare for deploying and integrating QKD solutions into their institutions.