SpeQtral Partners with Kongsberg NanoAvionics and Mbryonics for SpeQtral-1 Mission

SpeQtral Partners with Kongsberg NanoAvionics and Mbryonics for SpeQtral-1 Mission

SpeQtral, a quantum communication technology company, is thrilled to unveil the collaboration with Kongsberg NanoAvionics and Mbryonics for the upcoming SpeQtral-1 mission. NanoAvionics has been chosen as the satellite platform provider, while Mbryonics will take on the crucial role of the satellite optical terminal provider.

NanoAvionics, a prominent player in the new space industry, has been chosen as the CubeSat satellite platform provider for the mission. With their consistent track record of building and successfully launching satellite missions, NanoAvionics brings invaluable expertise and an impressive portfolio of accomplishments.

Mbryonics has been selected to develop the optical terminal that transmits the QKD photons from the SpeQtral quantum hardware to optical ground stations. Mbryonics demonstrates remarkable potential with its ever-growing capabilities in space photonics. Their past contract win from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) showcases their abilities and commitment to pushing boundaries.

The SpeQtral-1 mission will be SpeQtral's second quantum key distribution (QKD) satellite. The mission follows the SpeQtre technology demonstrator mission, itself built on technologies demonstrated on the 2019 SpooQy-1 CubeSat. Leveraging the technical expertise of NanoAvionics and Mbryonics' state-of-the-art optical terminal hardware, SpeQtral-1 will serve as a pathfinder commercial demonstrator, defining future QKD services. It is also slated to be used alongside SpeQtre as the space segment for the ESA INT-UQKD program, which will explore international use cases for QKD. This endeavor showcases the ability of industry leaders to join forces across continents, transcending geographical boundaries, and fostering an environment of global cooperation.

Rob Beddington, CTO of SpeQtral, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnerships: "We are thrilled that NanoAvionics and Mbryonics have taken up the challenge of collaborating on this groundbreaking, state-of-the-art mission. Making a laser comms mission is no easy feat, and integrating QKD takes the challenge to a whole new level! Our partners' expertise and capabilities tesselate perfectly with our own and our vision of Quantum-safe keys delivered by CubeSats; we look forward to building the future of global secure connectivity together."

Co-Founder and CEO, Lum Chune Yang, conveyed his anticipation for the SpeQtral-1 mission: "The SpeQtral-1 mission offers promising business prospects, enabling SpeQtral-delivered QKD services and serving as a reference for future QKD satellite products. The Quantum-Optical Terminal, a joint effort of SpeQtral and Mbryonics, presents a compact QKD and laser communications transmitter product ready for integration into satellites of all sizes. This will pave the way for organizations or sovereign nations with quantum security requirements to incorporate this cutting-edge product into their bespoke satellite missions."

The mission has made steady progress with key milestones already achieved. The Optical Terminal & Quantum Payload Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR) were completed in 2022. SpeQtral-1's payload and mission CDR were also completed earlier this year. The team is moving ahead with EM tests and integration to conduct spacecraft-level functional tests.

"We at NanoAvionics are proud to be part of the SpeQtral-1 mission alongside SpeQtral and Mbryonics," said Vytenis J. Buzas, CEO of NanoAvionics. "This collaboration signifies a critical step into the quantum era, promising revolutionary enhancements to secure communications. Leveraging our experience in swiftly delivering in-orbit demonstration missions with our modular smallsat platforms, we're prepared to navigate the future of quantum communications. Our partnership transcends borders, echoing the power of global cooperation in pioneering technological advancements."

"We are deeply honored that SpeQtral has chosen Mbryonics as their optical communications technology partner for this groundbreaking SpeQtral-1 mission," said John Mackey, CEO at Mbryonics. "This project represents a significant step towards building a more secure world, and we are excited to contribute our expertise and advanced solutions to make it a reality. With a shared vision of pushing the boundaries of quantum communication, Mbryonics, NanoAvionics, and SpeQtral have embarked on a remarkable journey to revolutionize secure communication channels through quantum key distribution (QKD). SpeQtral's trust in our expertise and technology is a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence that drives both our organizations. Our team of dedicated engineers and experts have poured their passion and knowledge into developing a cutting-edge solution that promises to set new benchmarks in secure and unbreakable communication."

SpeQtral remains committed to driving advancements in the quantum communication industry through strategic collaborations. By leveraging the expertise and strengths of its partners, SpeQtral continues to pioneer the development of secure and scalable quantum solutions that will shape the future of secure communication.

Click here to learn more about SpeQtral's Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Technology.

Click here to learn more about NanoAvionics Satellite Bus & Platforms Listed on SatNow.


Publisher: SatNow

GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013