Swiss SEALSQ Plans to Spend US$15 Million to Procure Capacity for 12 Satellites

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 26, Swiss post-quantum security technology company SEALSQ signed a binding letter of intent with satellite communications company WISeSat.Space to invest approximately US$15 million over the next 18 months to acquire communications capacity and ground operations services related to 12 satellites. The transaction will serve the Quantum Space Orbit Cloud (QSOC) project being developed by both parties, and the procurement scope includes satellite capacity usage rights, mission control, ground system access, and supporting operational support.

Under the proposed transaction arrangement, WISeSat.Space will be responsible for satellite procurement, launch, and initial constellation capacity supply, and will undertake the operation of ground stations, mission control centers, and related infrastructure. SEALSQ will be responsible for the development and commercialization of the QSOC security service layer, integrating its secure semiconductors, public key infrastructure, digital identity authentication, and cryptographic key management technologies into the satellite communications network. The two parties will also carry out technical integration and validation of space and ground systems.

The ground system will handle data exchange between the satellite network and terrestrial communications facilities, supporting terminal device authentication, secure communications, and cryptographic key management. QSOC plans to provide services including satellite communications resistant to quantum computing attacks, trusted device identity authentication, cryptographic key provisioning and lifecycle management, and quantum random number access, developing subscription-based services for government agencies, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure operators.

The procurement arrangement corresponding to this letter of intent will determine payment terms and delivery milestones through subsequent formal agreements and requires approval from both parties' boards of directors. The letter of intent includes an exclusive negotiation arrangement, valid in principle until December 31, 2026. WISeSat.Space retains ownership and operational control of the satellites and related infrastructure, while SEALSQ plans to acquire satellite capacity usage rights dedicated to the QSOC project.

The two parties have previously established a phased deployment roadmap for QSOC, planning to gradually deploy up to 100 satellites by 2033. The letter of intent signed in October brings the capacity supply, ground infrastructure, and operational services for the first 12 satellites into the proposed transaction scope, with subsequent system deployment to proceed based on technical validation and commercial service readiness.