- PLD Space partners with WISeSat.Space, a subsidiary of cybersecurity leader WISeKey, to launch ultra-secure satellites using MIURA 5 orbital launcher.
- The satellites, weighing less than 500 kg, will be equipped for Quantum-Ready IoT communications, marking a significant advancement in space access services.
September 25, 2023, Elche — In a strategic alliance that underscores the growing global demand for space access services, PLD Space has signed an agreement with WISeSat.Space, a subsidiary of the cybersecurity giant WISeKey International Holding Ltd. The collaboration aims to launch the next generation of ultra-secure satellites, each weighing under 500 kg, for Quantum-Ready IoT communications using the MIURA 5 orbital launcher.
This partnership intends to integrate the VaultIC408 secure element into each network endpoint, ensuring unparalleled security levels throughout the IoT ecosystem. By focusing on advanced miniaturization techniques, the alliance aims to provide cost-effective and accessible solutions, enabling companies and institutions of varying sizes to access space.
The next-generation satellites, a result of the combined efforts of SEALSQ and WISeSat, will incorporate groundbreaking post-quantum solutions. These microchips and devices, designed to endure the evolution of computing power, are apt for numerous applications, including multi-factor authentication devices, ensuring absolute data security in the quantum era.
While PLD Space’s MIURA 1 is on the brink of its launch, the company’s primary focus remains on the design and development of the MIURA 5 orbital rocket. This rocket is set to launch in 2025 from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. To facilitate its development, PLD Space is significantly expanding its equipment and industrial capacity in Elche. The company’s industrial facilities will grow from the current 2,600 m^2 to over 12,000 m^2. Currently employing over 150 professionals, PLD Space plans to add 50 more by the end of this year, aiming for a 300-strong workforce by 2024.
The MIURA 1’s upcoming suborbital flight is pivotal for the MIURA 5’s development. It will provide invaluable data, potentially validating up to 70% of the design and technology that will be incorporated into MIURA 5.
About PLD Space: Founded in 2011 by Raúl Torres and Raúl Verdú, PLD Space aims to simplify European access to space. The company, having secured over 65 million in financing, employs over 150 professionals across three centers in Elche, Teruel, and Huelva, totaling over 150,000 m^2 of industrial facilities.
About WISeKey: A global leader in cybersecurity, WISeKey deploys large-scale digital identity ecosystems using Blockchain, AI, and IoT. With an installation base of over 1.5 billion microchips across various IoT sectors, WISeKey’s technology is trusted by OISTE/WISeKey, the cryptographic root of trust based in Switzerland.
About WISeSAT AG: A pioneering space arm of WISeKey International, WISeSAT AG is at the forefront of developing ultra-secure picosatellite solutions. In collaboration with FOSSA Systems, it ensures secure IoT communication across space networks, leveraging the latest cryptographic innovations.
