Heriot-Watt University Opens New £2.5 Million Optical Ground Station

That the Parliament welcomes the opening of the new £2.5 million Quantum Communications Hub Optical Ground Station (HOGS) on 2 May 2025, which is located at Heriot-Watt University’s research park; believes that this cutting-edge facility represents a significant leap forward in the UK's space and quantum capabilities; understands that HOGS uses advanced laser technology to communicate with satellites in ways that could make data breaches a thing of the past; further understands that the ground station marks a transition from traditional radio frequency communications to optical links that offer significantly higher data rates and improved security; notes that the facility will also monitor and track space debris, which, it understands, is a growing concern as Earth's orbit becomes increasingly congested; believes that the facility will also pioneer new techniques in high-speed optical communications that could power future 6G networks and beyond; considers that the new facility is not only an academic research tool but an economic catalyst, which further enhances Heriot-Watt University’s leading expertise in quantum communications; believes that the ground station represents a major step towards the creation of a space cluster at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus; understands that HOGS is part of the Quantum Communications Hub project, funded through the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, and involves collaboration with the universities of Bristol, Strathclyde and York, and wishes everyone associated with the project success in developing next-generation secure communications and helping produce the space workforce of tomorrow.