About
Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales, which holds 67%, and Leonardo, which holds 33%. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Cannes, France, its quantum technology division develops space-based quantum communications systems. In January 2025, Thales Alenia Space partnered with Hispasat to develop the QKD-GEO prototype, Spain's quantum key distribution system from geostationary orbit, with a 103.5 million euro budget. The company leads a large industrial consortium of Spanish and European companies, including entities specialized in quantum communications: the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and the University of Vigo. Thales Alenia Space develops quantum payloads for geostationary satellites and the associated ground segments for quantum-secure communications from space. Field test campaigns are planned between La Palma and Tenerife, covering 140-km atmospheric links. The company serves government agencies, defense organizations, telecommunications operators, and critical infrastructure that need satellite-based quantum key distribution for ultra-secure space-to-ground communications.
Quantum Specifications
| Quantum Focus | hardware |