Tesat-Spacecom — vendor dossier

Tesat-Spacecom

Enabling supply chainQKD
T

Independently operating subsidiary of Airbus Defence and Space; manufactures space-borne optical-communication terminals — the LCT135 GEO/LEO laser-comm family flown on the European Data Relay System since 2007 and the SCOT family for LEO constellations. The dossier covers Tesat's QKD-payload role: the SCOT80 terminal forms the optical link for Europe's first sovereign LEO QKD satellite, Eagle-1, where Tesat builds both the telescope and the integrated on-board QKD module (C-band phase-encoded BB84 + decoy-state). Eagle-1 launches on Vega-C from Kourou in late 2026 / early 2027.

HQ
Backnang, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Founded
1991
Status
acquired
Parent
airbus
Last verified
Fri May 15 2026 08:00:00 GMT+0800 (Singapore Standard Time)

Timeline

199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026202720282029today
1991
Tesat-Spacecom formed from AEG/Telefunken/ANT space communications operations in Backnang
2008-02
Laser link demonstrated between two moving satellites in space (LCT precursor, TerraSAR-X to NFIRE) — described by Tesat as a first of its kind
2023-05
SES + Tesat announce partnership to develop the EAGLE-1 QKD payload (SCOT80 telescope + on-board QKD module)
2025-05
EAGLE-1 system description published as arXiv preprint (arXiv:2505.20838) — details Tesat's C-band phase-encoded double-pulse QKD architecture and the SCOT80-based payload
2026-04
SCOT80 terminal launched on GPS III-10 (Hedy Lamarr) — first laser-communications test from a GPS satellite at medium Earth orbit
2026
Eagle-1 satellite integration complete; ship to launch site for Vega-C launch from Kourou (late 2026 / early 2027)
2027
Eagle-1 three-year in-orbit validation begins after commissioning — QKD link demonstrations between LEO and European optical ground stations
shipped milestone public roadmap

Current flagship

SCOT80 (Eagle-1 QKD variant) — scalable optical communication terminal with integrated QKD module, C-band phase-encoded BB84/decoy-state

Milestones

  1. 2026-04
    SCOT80 terminal launched on GPS III-10 (Hedy Lamarr) — first laser-communications test from a GPS satellite at medium Earth orbit
    Enabling supply chain press source ↗
  2. 2025-05
    EAGLE-1 system description published as arXiv preprint (arXiv:2505.20838) — details Tesat's C-band phase-encoded double-pulse QKD architecture and the SCOT80-based payload
    QKD preprint source ↗
  3. 2023-05
    SES + Tesat announce partnership to develop the EAGLE-1 QKD payload (SCOT80 telescope + on-board QKD module)
    QKD press source ↗
  4. 2008-02
    Laser link demonstrated between two moving satellites in space (LCT precursor, TerraSAR-X to NFIRE) — described by Tesat as a first of its kind
    Enabling supply chain blog source ↗
  5. 1991
    Tesat-Spacecom formed from AEG/Telefunken/ANT space communications operations in Backnang
    Enabling supply chain press source ↗

Roadmap

  • 2026 Eagle-1 satellite integration complete; ship to launch site for Vega-C launch from Kourou (late 2026 / early 2027) source ↗
  • 2027 Eagle-1 three-year in-orbit validation begins after commissioning — QKD link demonstrations between LEO and European optical ground stations source ↗

Capability details

QKD

Protocols
BB84, decoy-state
Rate vs distance
C-band phase-encoded double-pulse qubits over a SCOT80 free-space downlink (~500-1000 km LEO slant range); on-board QKD module integrated with the optical terminal
2 unverified fields
  • key_personnel.2.since
  • modalities.qkd.rate_distance — detailed key-rate vs slant-range numbers for Eagle-1 are not yet public; the description is qualitative pending in-orbit data

People

  • Thomas Reinartz — CEO (since 2022-03) ↗
  • Sven Rettig — CCO (since 2022) ↗
  • Peter Lust — VP ↗

References