EAGLE-1: Advancing Europe's Leadership in Quantum Communications

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EAGLE-1: Advancing Europe's Leadership in Quantum Communications
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The newly-announced EAGLE-1 system is a major technology breakthrough that paves the way for secure communications in the EU. Comprising a low-earth-orbit satellite and an extensive ground network, the space-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system will jointly provide valuable mission data for a sovereign European end-to-end solution for secure QKD services.

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Under the EAGLE-1 project, the dedicated consortium of 20 European partners led by SES will develop and implement long-distance QKD. EAGLE-1 allows the validation of the key quantum secure communications systems and will also benefit the national Quantum Communications Infrastructures (QCIs) within the EuroQCI initiative.

The EAGLE-1 project is co-funded by ESA, the European Union (EU), the space agencies of Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and the Czech Republic, as well as the industry.

The EAGLE-1 satellite will be launched by Arianespace on the Vega C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport from French Guiana. The sovereign end-to-end space-based solution will complete three years of in-orbit mission supported by the European Commission, and it will provide the European Union governments, institutions and critical business sectors early access to long-distance QKD, pathing the way towards ultra-secure data transmissions across the EU. 

As recently announced, the project onboarded TNO and Airbus to deliver the ground station for QKD. Earlier, SES also joined efforts with TESAT to develop the EAGLE-1 payload. The satellite platform for the Quantum Cryptography System will be delivered by the Italian aerospace company SITAEL.

Learn more about the quantum technology fundamentals

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SES_Icon_Web_Black_RGB Read the Press Release
SES_Icon_File_Black_RGB Download the EAGLE-1 infographic
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Download the official EAGLE-1 Visual:

CMYK PDF version
RGB PNG version