Computación
Enlace de encriptación cuántica récord logrado mediante micro‑satélites
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Una nueva era para la encriptación cuántica
Encryption of transmitted data is an ever-growing concern as more and more critical functions are dependent on safe and secure data links. In the context of military, diplomatic, or even business data, secure does not only mean ensuring that no one accesses the data but also to be able to know if any third party is even trying to eavesdrop.
Esto es precisamente para lo que la encriptación cuántica está diseñada, ya que cualquier interferencia se detecta automáticamente gracias a las reglas fundamentales de la física cuántica (ver más abajo).
Sin embargo, gestionar la transmisión a larga distancia de la encriptación cuántica ha sido históricamente un desafío, lo que limitaba la utilidad de la tecnología.
Este parece ser un problema del pasado, ya que investigadores chinos han conseguido crear un enlace cuántico satelital de 12.900 km (8.000 millas) entre China y Sudáfrica.
Este logro se consiguió mediante un enorme esfuerzo colaborativo que reunió a investigadores del Laboratorio Nacional de Hefei, la Academia China de Ciencias, el Instituto de Tecnología Cuántica de Jinan, el Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Electrónica de Pekín, la Universidad de Stellenbosch (Sudáfrica), CAS Quantum Network Co. Ltd y Quantum CTek Co. Ltd.
These results were published in Nature1, under the title “Microsatellite-based real-time quantum key distribution”.
Encriptación cuántica explicada
Quantum encryption, or quantum key distribution (QKD), is not an encryption that relies on quantum computing capacities (this would be called quantum cryptography).
Lo que hace la encriptación cuántica es generar claves de cifrado para proporcionar confidencialidad, usando fotones individuales para transferir y codificar dichas claves.
Lo que hace única a esta técnica es que los fotones individuales no pueden ser interceptados, copiados ni medidos sin alterar sus estados cuánticos. Es algo absolutamente imposible de cambiar, ya que es una regla estricta que la observación de partículas cuánticas modifica sus características.
Fuente: Quside
Como resultado, los dos usuarios que se comunican pueden estar seguros de que nadie está intentando acceder a la clave, y mucho menos de que lo haya conseguido.
Esto convierte a la técnica en una opción muy poderosa para transmisiones de datos seguras importantes, especialmente con fines de seguridad nacional.
This is not a new idea, as the concept is based on work from 1984, but it is only now being deployed at scale. The method does not actually transfer data but is just the key to decrypt data transmitted through usual means.
(Previous) Limits Of Quantum Encryption
Until now, quantum encryption required a very elaborate set of dedicated infrastructure, with dedicated optical fibers.
This is a domain where China is leading, with a 2,000 km terrestrial fiber-based quantum network connecting 32 trusted nodes across major cities, from Beijing to Shanghai. This previous project was conducted under the guidance of renowned quantum physicist Prof Jian-Wei Pan, one of the leaders of this latest development in quantum encryption.
This approach differs radically from the American one, with the NSA preferring alternative technologies.
Overall, quantum encryption is highly hardware-based and inflexible, and cannot be implemented in software or as a service on a network. This also makes its integration into other networks, or upgrades difficult.
Moving Quantum Encryption To Space
Building On Past Efforts
This limitation linked to the optical fiber network, a massive infrastructure project, is being lifted by moving toward satellite-based quantum encryption instead.
The first step was an experimental setup from the project Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS). It included the satellite Micius (Chinese: 墨子), in collaboration with the University of Vienna.
Micius previously managed 7,600 km of satellite-based intercontinental quantum links, with assistance from a laser communications experiment on the Chinese Tiangong-2 space laboratory module (the Chinese space station).
This was a good way to demonstrate the concept was even possible. However, this prototype has yet to prove that it could be done with elements needed for a practical deployment: small, lightweight satellites, portable ground stations, and real-time secure key exchange.
The South African side of this study was led by Pr. Francesco Petruccione, who developed one of the world’s first fiber-optic quantum communication networks in Durban, South Africa.
Fuente: Stellenbosch University
“Esta demostración exitosa de la tecnología cuántica satelital posiciona firmemente a Sudáfrica como un actor significativo en el ecosistema global de tecnología cuántica que evoluciona rápidamente.
Pr. Francesco Petruccione
The Advantage Of Satellites Communications
The biggest advantage of using satellites for this sort of encrypted communication is that it is not reliant on a preexisting and dedicated optical fiber network.
This allows the system to be widely deployed instead of just limited to an expensive and only domestic system of optic fibers.
An extra bonus is that this technological feat was achieved by using only micro-satellites with a payload of only 23 kg (50 pounds). For reference, the somewhat small Starlink satellites are weighing 800kg (1,760 pounds) each.
Fuente: Reuters
So, it would be very easy to deploy a massive constellation of these devices without many orbital launches.
The portable ground station weighs about 100 kilograms, which makes them easy to transport and implement anywhere.
Limitations of Satellite Communications
Because the communication relies on photons, it is highly dependent on weather conditions. Cloudy days, or even when the satellite is aligned with the Sun, can hinder the process.
So, most likely, this is not a technology that can be used in any conditions all the time. It is nevertheless an impressive achievement. And potentially, the use of photons in other frequencies less affected by the weather (like microwaves) could be a logical next step to implement.
How Well Did It Work?
The climate impact of this technology was one reason for picking Stellenbosch, with its ideal environmental conditions of clear skies and low humidity. In these conditions, the sharing of up to 1.07 million bits of secure keys was achieved during a single satellite pass.
The communication was also bidirectional, allowing for secure communication in real-time. So this is a success that solved all the previous limitations of the Micius prototype, including the weight of the satellite and station useful real-time exchanges.
Another thing the system demonstrates is that it can transfer one-time pad encryption of images. So even if at a later date, the quantum encryption cannot be transferred, like with bad weather, once the key has been transferred, data could still be decrypted, despite the 12,900 kilometers distance.
Applications
The first applications are likely for national security and military applications, as these are the foremost consumers of unbreakable, highly-secured encryption services.
However, this should not be the end point of this technology. A large constellation of satellites could perform the transfer of the encryption keys for commercial consumers as well. This can include tech companies, financial firms, crypto exchanges, etc.
However, this level of security is, for now, unlikely to be used by most Internet users, as it will still be very technical and more expensive than other encryption methods.
The quantum encryption market is expected to grow by an astonishing 38.3% from 2024 to 2030, from $518M.
Fuente: Grand View Research
Overall, this means that a new and ubiquitous layer of space telecommunication could be added soon, not one of broadband Internet like Starlink, but point-to-point, impossible-to-spy-on secure encryption.
As this network only transfers the encryption key, not actual data, it could be a powerful way to improve the safety of encryption of satellite telecommunications.
The next step will also be testing geostationary satellites, as this would radically improve the transfer rate of encryption keys.
It would also make more sense in the long term for a commercial system, as ultra-low latency linked to low-Earth orbit is not so required for quantum encryption.
Quantum Encryption Company
ARQQ Gráfico de precios
Arquit is a supplier of a “quantum-safe symmetric key agreement encryption platform”.
In simpler terms, devices that provide encryption that is safe from progress in quantum computing progress.
The company’s products are compliant with NSA standards, as well as many other cybersecurity and cryptographic standards.
Arquit’s clients include most of the largest cybersecurity and network companies, including Fortinet (FTNT ), Juniper Network, Intel (INTC ), Adtran, etc.
The associated software can be integrated with most OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) vendors and is cloud-based.
Fuente: Arquit
This technology is recognized by the industry as a leader in encryption quality, having won the National Cyber Awards and Cyber Security Software Company of the Year Award at the Cyber Security Awards. It also won the CTO Outstanding Technology Award for secure 5G solution at the Mobile World Congress.
Despite an impressive roster of clients, partners, and awards, Arquit is still very much a new company, with only $293,000 in revenues in 2024.
This is, however, not reflecting the true value of the company, as it expects contracts in the tens of millions to come from government and private companies in the near future:
Similarly, Sparkle launched in 2024 its “Network as a Service (NaaS) Product Suite with Quantum-Safe over Internet“, using Arquit products.
Together with a cash position of $18.7M at the end of 2024, the upcoming contracts put Arquit in a position to soon evolve from its status as a pre-revenue startup, justifying its 9-digit valuation.
Latest on Arqit Quantum Inc.
Referencia del estudio:
1. Li, Y., Cai, WQ., Ren, JG. et al. Microsatellite-based real-time quantum key distribution. Nature (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08739-z
