China, Russia test quantum-secured satellite communication

Scientists from China and Russia report having successfully demonstrated the transmission of data encrypted using secure keys via the Mozi quantum satellite.

The “full cycle” transmission of two encoded images secured by quantum keys took place on Dec. 14 over a distance of 2,360 miles, between a ground station near Moscow and another near Urumqi in western China.

Current encryption keys risk being broken by quantum computers as they become more powerful over the next few years. One way of securing against this threat is to use quantum communication.

Quantum communication relies on the quantum property of superposition – qubits can be combinations of ones and zeros simultaneously. If a hacker tries to observe them in transit, the quantum state collapses, leaving evidence of interference, and the communication can be terminated.

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