QUBE II – The Future of Secure Communication

14.11.2025

Mission Overview

QUBE-II is the next step following the successful QUBE mission and aims to provide a more capable environment for real quantum-based key generation and exchange from space. The mission focuses on an improved optical infrastructure, higher pointing precision, and the significantly larger platform required to support these capabilities.

Key Mission Features

• Support for real quantum-key generation and exchange
• Improved QKD link budget from space
• Significantly larger optical aperture
• Very high pointing accuracy
• Platform size and mass
  • 8U CubeSat
  • Dimensions: 100 × 226.3 × 454 mm
  • Total mass: 12.5 kg
• Planned launch date: June 2026

Consortium

• OHB (Consortium leader)
• DLR – Institut für Kommunikation und Navigation
• FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
• LMU München
• Max Planck Institute für die Physik des Lichts
• Zentrum für Telematik e.V.

Funding

QUBE II is funded by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt