On January 19, 2018, Chinese and Austrian scientists published results demonstrating intercontinental quantum key distribution (QKD) using the Micius satellite, operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The achievement was reported in the journal Physical Review Letters.
During the experiment, the satellite distributed secret keys between ground stations at Xinglong (near Beijing) and Graz (near Vienna), separated by approximately 7,600 kilometers. Scientists used the keys to conduct a 75-minute quantum-encrypted video conference between Beijing and Vienna. Micius acted as a trusted relay between the two ground stations.
As reported by Xinhua, the experiment demonstrated that the satellite was capable of facilitating intercontinental quantum-secured communications. The Micius satellite, formally known as Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), was launched in August 2016 under the direction of chief scientist Pan Jianwei at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).