World’s Longest Quantum Satellite Link Established Between China and South Africa

Scientists from China and South Africa have successfully created the longest intercontinental quantum satellite link, spanning 12,900 kilometers (~8,000 miles). This ultra-secure connection was made possible using China’s Jinan-1 quantum microsatellite in low Earth orbit. The achievement also marks a historic first: the establishment of a quantum satellite communication link in the Southern Hemisphere.

Figure 1. Quantum Link Secures 13,000 Km Connection Between China and South Africa.

In this demonstration, researchers utilized Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) to generate encryption keys in real time. These keys were then used to securely transmit images between ground stations in China and South Africa via one-time pad encryption—a method considered theoretically unbreakable. Figure 1 shows Quantum Link Secures 13,000 Km Connection Between China and South Africa.

Stellenbosch’s clear skies and low humidity provided ideal conditions for quantum communication, allowing the ground station to achieve an impressive key generation rate of 1.07 million secure bits during a single satellite pass.

How Quantum Communication Ensures Unbreakable Security

Quantum communication harnesses the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics to enable highly secure information transfer. A key component of this technology is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which uses single photons to encode and transmit encryption keys. Since these photons cannot be intercepted, copied, or measured without disturbing their quantum state, QKD offers an unparalleled level of security, even against the most advanced cyber threats.

China remains at the forefront of quantum communication research, spearheaded by renowned physicist Prof. Jian-Wei Pan. The country has developed an extensive quantum infrastructure, including a 2,000 km terrestrial fiber-based quantum network that connects 32 trusted nodes across major cities, from Beijing to Shanghai. Prof. Juan Yin, a key figure in China’s quantum advancements, played a crucial role in the development of the country’s first quantum satellite, Micius, which enabled a groundbreaking 7,600 km intercontinental quantum link between China and Austria in 2017. For the recent quantum link between South Africa and China, Prof. Juan Yin once again led the Chinese research team.

The South African research team at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Physics was led by Dr. Yaseera Ismail, the lead experimentalist responsible for successfully establishing the quantum satellite link. Prof. Francesco Petruccione, Professor of Quantum Computing in the School of Data Science and Computational Thinking and Director of the National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS) at Stellenbosch University, has been a pioneer of quantum communication in South Africa. He notably developed one of the world’s first fiber-optic quantum communication networks in Durban.

This landmark achievement also paves the way for the forthcoming launch of the Stellenbosch Centre for Quantum Science and Technology, which aims to further South Africa’s leadership in quantum research and innovation.

The Power of Global Collaboration in Science

Reflecting on this achievement, Dr. Yaseera Ismail highlighted the vital role of collaboration:

“International and national collaborations are essential to drive cutting-edge research and push scientific boundaries. Implementing the first quantum satellite link in the Southern Hemisphere is an outstanding achievement for South Africa, demonstrating the significant potential to develop a thriving quantum ecosystem.”

“This successful demonstration of quantum satellite technology firmly positions South Africa as a significant player in the rapidly evolving global quantum technology ecosystem. Collaborations such as this accelerate scientific breakthroughs, build local expertise, and enable translating advanced quantum research into tangible technological solutions.”

Source: SciTECHDaily

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025),"Unbreakable Quantum Link Spans Nearly 13,000 Km from China To South Africa", AnaTechmaz, pp. 229