Project description
A shared LEO CubeSat constellation for Quantum Key Distribution and 5G IoT services
Secure and reliable exchange of data and information plays a crucial role in our society. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) aims at overcoming the current classical cryptographic systems, preventing the vulnerabilities led by the advent of quantum computers. The EU-funded project QUANGO aims at designing and prototyping the key elements of a satellite mission that targets the delivery of both internet of things (IoT) and QKD services. QUANGO will provide a new paradigm to share the satellite infrastructure required for secure communication based on QKD and for 5G communication. It will do this by designing a constellation of low-earth orbit CubeSat and by developing the satellite sub-system payloads, along with the corresponding ground stations.
Objective
The secure exchange of sensitive information is of crucial importance in our society, as it protects money transfer, commercial transactions, medical data, remote control of critical infrastructures (power grid, telecom etc.). On the security side, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a protocol based on the laws of quantum mechanics that guarantees unconditional security in the sharing of random keys to be used for secure communication. On the communication side, 5G is the fifth generation of wireless communication, that will soon become the standard for virtually every major telecommunication service provider, as defined by the standards organization 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project). Both QKD and 5G technologies require a satellite network for a global coverage of their services. QUANGO will provide a new paradigm to share the satellite infrastructure required for secure communication based on quantum technologies and for 5G communication.
The main objective of the project is the design of a network of 12U-CubeSat low-earth-orbit satellites offering combined capabilities for communication secured by QKD and for 5G connection for Internet of Things (IOT), the development of payloads, sub-systems and ground stations for such a network and its implementation feasibility.
Specific objectives of the project include:
- Design of a nano-satellite with both QKD and 5G capabilities for low orbit satellite-to-ground communication.
- Design and development of the quantum payload and ground station.
- Laboratory demonstrations of the critical components and subsystems.
- Theoretical study of future technologies: intersatellite QKD and integration of QKD security into 5G protocols.
- Exploitation and business plan for the 5G-QKD satellite
- Development and integration of a QKD system in the networking infrastructure of a leading bank in an EU member state as a prototypical end user of the 5G-QKD satellite.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksmobile network5G
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesquantum physics
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technology
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputer securitycryptography
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpower engineeringelectric power transmission
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
35122 Padova
Italy