Connecting Across Continents: Showcasing OPS-SAT VOLT and the Future of Quantum Space

It’s been a busy few weeks for the Craft Prospect team, with two major international events taking place back-to-back — the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025 in Sydney, Australia, and the 7th Quantum Technology Conference in Crete, Greece. 

Across both events, a common thread tied our conversations together: OPS-SAT VOLT and our leadership role in this pioneering mission exploring quantum key distribution (QKD) and the future of secure communications in space.

VOLT and Collaboration at IAC 2025

At IAC Sydney, the theme Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth set the tone for a week of collaboration and vision-sharing across the global space sector.

Our team — including Managing Director Steve Greenland and Head of Commercial Hina Khan — joined thousands of delegates to explore how innovation in space can support sustainability on Earth.

Highlights included:

• Productive discussions with CSIRO, Australia’s national research agency, about partnership opportunities — along with valuable meetings with QuantX Labs, the University of Western Australia, and several other organisations exploring potential collaborations around quantum technologies and VOLT.

• Catch-ups with colleagues from SSTL and RAL Space, sharing insights into satellite platforms and mission development.

• The Scotland in Orbit event hosted by Scottish Development International, where we presented VOLT and our other capabilities alongside fellow Scottish companies Bright Ascension, Skyrora, and Alba Orbital — showcasing the innovation strength coming from Scotland’s growing space ecosystem.

Throughout the week, our most talked-about topic was OPS-SAT VOLT — part of ESA’s ARTES Scylight Programme and funded by the UK Space Agency — which will test both quantum key distribution payloads and AI-driven software for autonomous satellite operations, developed by Craft Prospect and our partners. 

Advancing Quantum Discussion in Crete

The conversation continued the following week in Crete, where Kevin Quillien, Natalie Pearson, and James Conning attended ESA’s 7th Quantum Technology Conference at the Institute of Astrophysics, FORTH.

The event brought together technical experts to exchange insights and form new collaborations in quantum sensing, computing, communications, and networking.

Craft Prospect’s Quantum Technology Cell Lead, Natalie Pearson, delivered a well-received presentation on our work in Quantum Key Distribution (VOLT) and Distributed Quantum Sensing (DiQSC) — both critical elements of our roadmap toward smarter, more secure space missions.

Other highlights included:

• Engaging presentations from Honeywell, QSentinel, and NKT Photonics, exploring the global landscape of quantum technologies.

• Collaborative discussions with Toshiba Quantum Technology on future applications and technical challenges in QKD.

• A productive meeting with Lumino Technologies, collaborators on our DiQSC project, to refine measurement protocols and share progress on early in-orbit demonstration planning.

The conference had a highly collaborative atmosphere, with ideas exchanged as readily over coffee as during formal sessions — the kind of environment where innovation thrives.

The Power of Collaboration and the Future of VOLT

From Sydney to Crete, it’s clear that the international space and quantum communities are eager to see how missions like OPS-SAT VOLT will pave the way for smart, secure, interconnected satellite networks.

VOLT is more than a simple experiment — it’s a multifaceted stepping stone toward space-based quantum communications and autonomous satellite operations, exploring how these technologies can enhance cybersecurity, resilience, and trust in the next generation of satellite systems.

The momentum from these events underlines Craft Prospect’s mission to deliver #SmartSecureSpace — combining quantum innovation and autonomous systems to build the next generation of intelligent, resilient space infrastructure. 

Through collaboration with partners across industry, academia, and government, we hope to ensure that the UK stays at the forefront of innovation in quantum and space technology.