Identifiant du topic: HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01-62

Quantum Communication Technologies for space systems

Type d'action : HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Date d'ouverture : 21 décembre 2022
Date de clôture 1 : 27 mars 2023 22:00
Call : STRATEGIC AUTONOMY IN DEVELOPING, DEPLOYING AND USING GLOBAL SPACE-BASED INFRASTRUCTURES, SERVICES, APPLICATIONS AND DATA 2023
Call Identifier : HORIZON-CL4-2023-SPACE-01
Description :

Expected Outcome:

  • Support the EU space policy and the EU initiative to establish the Union Secure Connectivity Programme and foster the development of ultra-secure EU services based on or using space systems
  • Ensure the EU sovereignty and non-dependence for the development of capacities leading to the availability of ultra-secure services based on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).
  • Enhance the TRL of the critical components necessary to build QKD space systems and foster the development of the associated QKD standards.

These outcomes will contribute to securing the autonomy of supply for critical technologies and equipment for QKD space systems in the EU and foster the EU's space sector competitiveness by developing the associated ecosystem, in line with the Expected Impact of the destination. Security aspects shall be considered in all targeted developments.

Proposals must address all the above-mentioned, expected outcomes.

Two proposals will be selected under this call.

Scope:

The scope of this topic is the development of the critical components and technologies necessary to build a space quantum key distribution system. Based on the principle that any component used to generate, store, transmit, receive, decode, or use quantum information is considered a critical component, the scope of this topic covers all the critical hardware and software components necessary for the quantum key distribution function to be implemented via a satellite payload, as well as the corresponding optical ground station. Proposals will consider both Prepare and Measure (P&M) and Entangled protocols. In addition, proposals should address the issue of standardisation for QKD space systems. Proposals should propose and implement the development of international space QKD standards in existing standardisation bodies working groups (e.g. (e.g. ETSI, European Telecommunications Standards Institute) or propose and implement the creation of new standardisation activities through the creation of additional working groups.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.