Both parties are building upon a successful collaboration within the UK's Quantum Communications Hub. The project will deliver improved space communication capability leveraging the benefits of true quantum light sources, as well as exploring novel materials for single-photon generation.

The project, led by Aegiq, is funded by Innovate UK. It brings together experts in novel quantum photonic materials, expertise in single-photon generation, quantum communication, and control system development. This will provide the market with a low-loss, low-SWaP (size, weight and power) integrated quantum communication systems. The development will pave the way for an ultracompact product and cost-effective true-quantum technology solution to the aerospace market.

Project U-Quant is aimed at providing a near-term solution to the key bottleneck in deploying quantum communications on the global scale - economical intercontinental quantum links. While conventional digital communications mainly use undersea fibre-optic cables, they are unsuitable for quantum links due to losses. Satellite-based communication offers a near-term solution, which also does not have the physical vulnerability of undersea communications. The solution will be an important element of quantum-safe communications. 

Max Sich, the CEO and co-founder of Aegiq commented: “U-Quant will take us one step closer to the mass adoption of quantum communications in satellite and tactical applications. Our end goal is to optimise the network performance of satellite communications with a combination of components and custom-designed quantum optical and electronic control logic circuits.  The project has enormous potential to boost the capacity of satellite communication architectures, which currently only use laser systems.”