UK SBS PR19106 SPEQTRE Spacecraft Platform and Software

Descriptions

The project called ‘Speqtre’ formerly known as ‘QKD QubeSat’ is a collaboration between the Singapore and UK (BEIS) governments, and could lead to a more secure online activity for consumers in everything from financial transactions to online conversations. The project scope is to build and fly a satellite quantum key distribution (QKD) test bed. Through this collaboration, Singapore and the UK will co-develop a satellite called ‘Speqtre’, a satellite based on the CubeSat standard that will use a pioneering QKD technology to test the secure distribution of cryptographic keys over globe-spanning distances. The project was kicked off around Feb 2019 and is currently around PDR stage. The satellite is expected to be launched around Q3/Q4 2023. In the UK, work will be led by UKRI, responsible for the development of the platform (BUS) and the optical payload for optical links needed for beaming QKD signals, known as the ‘Optical Payload’.