Israel launches new nanosatellite in quantum communication advance

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Scientists from Israel’s Tel Aviv University have launched into orbit a new nanosatellite designed to advance research into quantum communication, a field of technology that aims to render information security completely unassailable by hackers, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.

Named TAU-SAT3, the 20-centimeter nanosatellite was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, TOI said. The TAU-SAT3 is equipped with a tiny optical device and has batteries made by the Israeli company Epsilor to charge it for the time it is in orbit.

In a statement about the launch, Prof. Yaron Oz, head of TAU’s Center for Quantum Science and Technology, said: “The principles of quantum mechanics enable an unconditionally secure encryption method. Whenever a hostile entity tries to intercept a transmitted message, the message immediately dissipates. Moreover, the interception attempt is detected – unlike current encryption methods, in which interceptions remain undetectable.”

The TAU-SAT3 will circle the earth for about five years at an altitude of 550 kilometers (342 miles), TOI said.

The nanosatellite will conduct a number of scientific missions and send optical and radio communication signals back to an optical ground station at Tel Aviv university.
This nanosatellite is one of a series of three that TAU has launched in less than three years, TOI reports.

Latest Worthy News