Leonardo wins ESA contract for quantum security platform

A new chapter in #QuantumSecurity begins!   Thrilled to see Leonardo and its consortium partners, Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio Belgium, ThinkQuantum, and DamoTech Srl, taking the lead with European Space Agency - ESA to shape the future of secure #Space connectivity.   The #QuantumSecurityVerificationPlatform will be key to validating and strengthening Europe’s quantum and post-quantum capabilities — an exciting leap toward a safer, smarter, and more resilient #DigitalFuture.

A key milestone for the #EuropeanQuantumEcosystem!   Leonardo, leading a consortium including Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio Belgium, ThinkQuantum, and DamoTech Srl, has been awarded a multi-year contract by the European Space Agency - ESA to develop the #QuantumSecurityVerificationPlatform.   This initiative marks an important step toward ensuring quantum-secure communications for #SpaceSystems and #CriticalInfrastructure, reinforcing Europe’s position at the forefront of #Quantum innovation and #Cybersecurity.

Great to contribute to another piece of the puzzle for European Secure Communications. European Space Agency - ESA Quantum Security Verification Platform (QSVP) will provide a reference for QKD and PQC security testing, verification and validation at the service of all Member States for the definition of future end-to-end systems. Thales Alenia Space Italia will contribute with the competence in Space Quantum Communications to the system definition and the secure key volume emulator thanks to our experience in SAGA, EuroQCI and many other technological developments and studies. Good luck to Leonardo Cyber & Security and the whole team as we embark on this exciting journey 🚀

🇯🇵 Japan Launches Quantum Internet Connecting Space and Earth In a world-first, Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology has successfully linked a quantum communication satellite to Earth, creating an ultra-secure quantum internet link between space and ground stations. Using entangled photons, the network can send encrypted messages impossible to intercept — even across orbit. This marks the beginning of a new communication era, where hacking becomes physically impossible and information travels at quantum speed.

Pilot Photonics stands as one of Europe’s most advanced photonics innovators, translating academic excellence into strategic technology sovereignty. Founded in 2011 as a spin-out from Dublin City University and the Tyndall National Institute, the Irish company has engineered the world’s smallest optical comb laser—a single chip capable of emitting dozens of precisely tuned wavelengths simultaneously. This breakthrough transforms data transmission across 6G networks, satellite communications, and secure defense systems, giving Europe a home-grown alternative to US and Chinese laser suppliers. Pilot Photonics’ technology is already integrated into European Space Agency programs, underscoring its contribution to secure satellite-to-ground laser links and multi-domain C4ISR architectures. Its ultra-fast tunable lasers, developed under EU Horizon 2020 and EIC Transition funding, align directly with NATO’s priorities for resilient, spectrum-agile networks. By designing and manufacturing within Europe’s photonics ecosystem, the company ensures full IP control and supply chain independence—an essential step for EU strategic autonomy under the Readiness 2030 agenda. From high-speed cloud data centers to laser communications in orbit, Pilot Photonics exemplifies how a European academic spin-off can become a cornerstone of defense connectivity and digital sovereignty in the age of 6G. #DefenceFinanceMonitor #PilotPhotonics #Ireland #DublinCityUniversity #TyndallNationalInstitute #ESA #EICTransition #HorizonEurope #Photonics21 #OpticalCommunications #6G #StrategicAutonomy #EuropeanDefence #NATO #C4ISR #SpaceConnectivity #DigitalSovereignty https://lnkd.in/dw5bkYmA

🆕 We have united forces with Transcelestial to transform global connectivity via space-to-ground laser links! 🛰️ Thanks to a strategic 2-year Research Collaboration Agreement, we will leverage our unique optical ground stations in Catalonia and Singapore to test and validate space-to-ground and inter-satellite laser links (ISL). 🌐 This collaboration is key to bringing the paradigm of non-terrestrial networks #NTN closer to reality, enhancing global connectivity and security for people and industry worldwide. 🔗 Discover the full details of this crucial alliance for the future of telecommunications: https://lnkd.in/dbNW93b6 #i2CATresearch #i2CATspace

The next chapter of connectivity isn’t just on the ground. We’ve joined forces with i2CAT Research Centre to validate space-to-ground and inter-satellite laser links, building the backbone for secure, high-speed data transmission beyond Earth. Together, we’re turning non-terrestrial networks from concept into capability.

🚀 The next frontier of connectivity is here. Amazing to see how optical communication is evolving - bridging space and Earth, and turning inter-satellite laser links into operational reality. As a company driving high-performance embedded computing and FPGA-based innovation, we’re inspired by how breakthroughs like these redefine what’s technically possible. This is what the future of communication looks like: cost efficient, fast, secure, and truly global. 🌍 #Enclustra #FPGA #Innovation #SpaceTech #OpticalCommunication #NonTerrestrialNetworks #Connectivity #FutureIsNow

🛰️ Quantum Communications: The Next Leap in Satellite Security In the next decade, satellite links may not just be encrypted — they could be quantum-secure. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) via satellites is emerging as the ultimate step in data sovereignty and cyber resilience. China’s Micius satellite has already demonstrated that entangled photons can transmit encryption keys over distances greater than 1,000 km. Europe is following with the EuroQCI and SAGA programs, aiming to build a continent-wide quantum-secure network by 2027. So, what does this mean for us in the Arab world and regional operators? Secure government and defense communications independent of terrestrial infrastructure. Future-proof data links for banks, critical infrastructure, and sovereign cloud platforms. A new generation of quantum payloads, optical terminals, and ground-segment retrofits. Yet the challenges remain significant — high cost, limited technology maturity, and the extreme precision required for optical pointing and photon detection in space. Still, the question is no longer if, but when this technology will reshape satellite systems. > As quantum research accelerates, forward-thinking operators and governments must start building readiness today. Because by the time QKD is mature, those who prepared early will own the trust layer of space communications. #QuantumCommunications #SatelliteSecurity #QKD #SpaceTechnology #DataSovereignty #CyberResilience #Vision2030 #ArabSpace

Not just the radio link, also the ground segment, including some relatively new providers & protocols. 'Shockingly large' amount of sensitive satellite communications are unencrypted and vulnerable to interception, researchers find | Space https://lnkd.in/e4pGanzZ