Record-breaking 12,900 km Quantum Satellite Link

South Africa and China have achieved a major milestone in ultra-secure communication.

South Africa & China have successfully established a 12,900 km ultra-secure quantum satellite link—the world’s longest intercontinental quantum satellite link to date! Using the Jinan-1 satellite, Stellenbosch University (led by Dr Yaseera Ismail, collaborating with Prof Francesco Petruccione) & University of Science and Technology of China achieved real-time Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), enabling ultra-secure encryption. This marks the first quantum satellite link in the Southern Hemisphere and a major leap for global quantum communication!

Key milestone: SA’s ground station achieved 1.07 million secure bits in a single satellite pass!

Excerpt from the Stellenbosch University media release. Dr Ismail highlights the importance of this breakthrough: “International and national collaborations are essential to drive cutting-edge research and push scientific boundaries. Implementing the first quantum satellite link in the Southern Hemisphere is an outstanding achievement for South Africa, demonstrating the significant potential to develop a thriving quantum ecosystem”.

Read more exciting developments occurring in South Africa here.