The UK Space Agency published its Quantum Technology Roadmap for Space (the “Quantum Roadmap”) on 27 October 2026, setting out where quantum technologies can make the greatest contribution to UK space capability through to the 2035–2040 horizon. Prepared for the UK Space Agency and the (then) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) by Space Professionals Partnership Ltd and Quantum Technologies Associates Ltd, the Quantum Roadmap's core message is clear: for priority technologies, science itself is no longer the bottleneck. The challenge now is translation – turning UK research excellence into qualified, manufacturable and exportable space systems so the UK will not just be the user of these technologies, but also a global supplier to the industry.
Why now?
The Quantum Roadmap describes a global "quantum race" in space. Public commitments to quantum technologies worldwide exceed £43 billion ($57.6 billion), with China (around $16bn), the EU (around $9.6bn) and the US (around $7.6bn) all investing heavily. China has already demonstrated space-based quantum key distribution via its Micius satellite, launched in 2016. The UK's collective investment is put at around $4.6bn, backed by the Government's £2 billion "Quantum Leap" commitment to 2030.
The Quantum Roadmap also sits within a wider government focus on advanced technologies for national security and economic growth. For instance, the UK Space Strategy, published in September 2026, envisages resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) infrastructure combining space, terrestrial and quantum technologies to reduce reliance on global navigation satellite systems.
The UK starts from a strong position with more than 300 quantum organisations, a fourth-place global ranking for quantum patents, and a space sector that is strong in small satellites, payload integration and mission delivery. The weakness identified is a widening gap in sovereign in-orbit demonstration. In the Quantum Roadmap's words, the UK's scaling challenge reflects a supply-chain and test-and-qualification gap "rather than a shortage of ideas".
There is also a pressing timetable in the security space. The Quantum Roadmap highlights the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)'s guidance that migration to post-quantum cryptography should be complete by 2035, by which point there is a material risk of "Q-Day" or the day when a quantum computer could credibly break widely used public-key cryptography.
The Quantum Roadmap builds on existing UK activity and sits alongside wider European initiatives:
- SpeQtre: the UK–Singapore joint quantum communications satellite, launched in November 2025 to demonstrate satellite-to-ground quantum communications.
- SPOQC: the UK research mission, launched in March 2026 to test satellite-to-ground quantum communications.
- QKDSat: a project of the European Space Agency (ESA), of which the UK is a Member State, led by Honeywell UK, with UK Space Agency support, for the development of satellite quantum key distribution services.
- Wider European programmes: ESA’s EAGLE-1 and SAGA are developing satellite quantum key distribution capabilities linked to the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).
Four investment themes
- Assured timing and synchronisation. Optical clocks (trapped-ion, room-temperature and chip-scale) and quantum time transfer could give the UK a sovereign timing capability independent of the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), reducing dependence on a potential single point of failure in critical national infrastructure.
- Resilient position, navigation and sensing. Quantum magnetometers, cold-atom inertial sensors, quantum gravimetry and Rydberg RF sensors could support autonomous navigation without external signals, space weather monitoring, Earth observation and planetary science.
- Sovereign quantum-safe communications and networking. Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is the near-term, software-based backbone of space cybersecurity, complemented by quantum key distribution (QKD) being explored for select high-assurance links and, longer term, space-enabled quantum networks. It is a sovereignty issue as all communications systems may be vulnerable to technological deciphering advancement. Satellite communications require an upgrade to both the ground segment of the network as well as in-orbit satellites, where the added difficulty is the long service lives of missions.
- Quantum computing. A longer-term opportunity, mainly in the ground segment. The Quantum Roadmap recommends algorithm development, pilot studies and horizon scanning rather than premature space-specific deployment. The aim is for the space sector to be a patient adopter, ensuring that algorithms are developed that will ultimately enable some of the hardest calculations required by the space industry such as optimisation and constellation-scale decision-making, simulation and modelling for material design and digital twins, and accelerated data inference.
Five key recommendations
- Accelerate adoption of quantum-secure communications. This includes integrating PQC across ground and space segments and advancing in-orbit QKD demonstrations.
- Prioritise quantum timing as a sovereign capability for next-generation positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).
- Advance quantum sensing aligned to clear mission demand, prioritising compact and efficient designs.
- Strengthen cross-cutting foundations: supply chains for quantum-grade lasers, optics and vacuum systems; test and qualification facilities; standards; and skills.
- Maintain strategic engagement with quantum computing through algorithm development and requirement shaping.
The Quantum Roadmap frames delivery over three horizons: readiness-building in years 0–5, targeted flight demonstrations in years 5–10, and scaling and routine deployment in years 10–15. It expects adoption to be hybrid, with quantum capabilities first augmenting rather than replacing classical systems.
Sovereignty, supply chains and standards
Sovereignty is a recurring theme, but the Quantum Roadmap is pragmatic. It aims to be ambitious, yet achievable, focusing on where UK quantum technology has established leadership or potential for leadership in areas where quantum technologies are likely to meet the needs of the space industry. It does not require every component to be made in the UK. Instead, it calls for assured access to trusted supply, control of critical know-how, domestic test and qualification capability, and the systems engineering competence to integrate quantum payloads at scale. It also identifies an opportunity for UK leadership in international standards and governance, as rules on interoperability, security certification and signal standards for quantum space systems are not yet well defined.
What this means for businesses
For quantum companies, space operators, primes, component suppliers and investors, the Quantum Roadmap signals where public investment and procurement are likely to be directed. Key legal and commercial considerations include:
- Funding and procurement: Positioning for UK Space Agency, DSIT and partner programmes, including grant terms, IP ownership and exploitation conditions.
- Collaboration and IP: Structuring consortia, joint development and licensing arrangements between universities, SMEs and primes to protect and commercialise background and foreground IP.
- Cybersecurity and data: Planning crypto-agile migration and reflecting PQC readiness in supply contracts and security obligations ahead of the NCSC 2035 timeline.
- Supply chain and export controls: Managing critical dependencies, long lead times and the controls likely to apply to dual-use quantum and space technologies.
- Investment and national security: Considering investment screening for transactions in sensitive quantum and space businesses. Both quantum technologies and satellite and space technologies are sensitive sectors under the UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 – qualifying acquisitions may require mandatory notification and approval before completion.
- Standards and regulation: Engaging early in standards-setting to shape interoperability and assurance frameworks. It is worth noting that any in-orbit quantum demonstration missions falling within UK jurisdiction will need to comply with space licensing requirements under the Space Industry Act 2018 or Outer Space Act 1986, as applicable, alongside any required Ofcom authorisations for the use of radio spectrum.
Conclusion
The Quantum Roadmap concludes that "the coming decade will be decisive" and that "the cost of inaction is technological dependence". For UK industry, the opportunity lies not only in headline payloads but in the high-value enabling layers. This includes photonics, lasers, packaging, qualification and assurance services, where the Quantum Roadmap expects value and exportability to be a primary focus. The UK has a long history in standards setting for communications services, and it is likely that future regulatory changes may be needed to enable the UK to realise its full potential with quantum advancement in the space industry.
CMS advises clients across the space, quantum and wider technology sectors on funding, collaboration, IP, cybersecurity, regulatory and transactional matters. If you would like to discuss what the Quantum Roadmap means for your business, please get in touch with Anne Chitan, Ian Stevens, Prash Mehta or Jacqueline Vallat.
