What does this career involve?
Quantum communications engineers build systems that send information using individual photons, particles of light. The main use is quantum key distribution, or QKD: sharing the secret keys that encrypt data in a way that shows if anyone has tried to intercept them, because measuring a photon changes it. In space, that means designing satellite payloads, the optical ground stations that talk to them, and the software that turns a stream of photons into a usable key.
Why is this a future career?
In development, not yet in service (autumn 2026). A UK-led research satellite launched in March 2026 to send quantum signals to a ground station in Edinburgh, and the European Space Agency’s first quantum key satellite, Eagle-1, is not expected before late 2027. No operational network exists yet. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre says new maths-based encryption, not QKD, should be the main defence against quantum computers, so this work sits alongside conventional cryptography rather than replacing it.
Skills for this career
Related Technologies of the 4IR
Quantum Computing
5G Technology
Nanotechnology
Cloud Computing and Edge Computing
Internet of Things (IoT)
Where to start
Physics and maths are essential, with computing close behind. The usual route is a physics or electronic engineering degree, often followed by postgraduate study, since much of the work is still research.