QEYSSat (Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite)

The Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) is a technology demonstration mission led by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to validate quantum key distribution (QKD) in a space environment. The satellite will establish a secure quantum optical link between a ground station and a microsatellite in low Earth orbit, transmitting individual photons to generate encryption keys that are physically impossible to intercept without detection. This approach overcomes the 200-kilometre range limitation of ground-based quantum networks, enabling future continental and global secure quantum communications.

Honeywell — through its Cambridge, Ontario facility, formerly known as COM DEV Canada — was awarded a $30 million contract by the CSA to design, build, test, launch, and commission both the QEYSSat microsatellite and its primary quantum ground station. COM DEV had been a world leader in space hardware manufacturing for decades before its acquisition by Honeywell in 2016, bringing deep expertise in space-qualified optical and microwave hardware to the QEYSSat program.

The science program is led by the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo, which provides the quantum photon source for the ground station and leads QKD protocol development. The mission is planned for launch no earlier than 2026, with a nominal one-year mission duration. QEYSSat is expected to lay the groundwork for a Canada-wide quantum-secure network and contribute to the global quantum internet.

The satellite carries two payloads: a quantum receiver/transmitter for exchanging quantum-encoded photons via free-space optical links, and an optical communications payload. The mission uses advanced acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) systems and single-photon detection technology to maintain the fragile quantum states needed for secure key exchange.