Honeywell Partners with Aegiq to Develop Quantum Key Distribution Solution for Smallsats

Photo by Honeywell

Honeywell is teaming up with Aegiq, a quantum networking and computing company, to bring better technology solutions for small satellites. Honeywell announced the collaboration, Sept. 13. The two companies are going to look to create a comprehensive solution to enable more precise and cost-effective design and deployment of space payloads and related ground assets. The collaboration intends to combine Honeywell’s atmospheric sensing technology and Aegiq’s emulation toolkit for link performance of optical communication technologies used by small satellites.

Aegiq’s Atlas toolkit simulates the performance of free-space optical and quantum communication networks, and specifically quantum key distribution (QKD), enabling insight into network performance metrics. Honeywell’s high-altitude LiDAR atmospheric sensing (HALAS) is a remotely operated, ground-based weather information system that provides near real-time, high-altitude atmospheric measurements in as little as three minutes. A Honeywell-Aegiq solution intends to incorporate real-time atmospheric data obtained by HALAS into a tool that simulates the link performance between space and ground assets. The solution aims to allow operators to evaluate data rate and quantum key rates at a set location quickly and with more accuracy than currently possible, and to enable precise ground station to satellite link communication, so that the asset can be redeployed if required.

“A solution that utilizes our expertise blends two proven technologies to enable precise evaluation of secure optical communication links within real-time atmospheric conditions producing critical information for system design and cost analyses,” Maksym Sich, CEO, Aegiq, said in a statement.