Preparing space for Q-day. [T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing]

Summary

CyberWire Daily: Preparing Space for Q-day

T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing
Host: Maria Varmazes (N2K Networks)
Guest: Eddie Zurvagon (CEO, Quantum Exchange)
Date: July 12, 2026

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Overview:

This episode explores the urgent intersection of quantum computing and cybersecurity for space infrastructure, responding to the recent executive order on “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation.” Host Maria Varmazes and Eddie Zurvagon discuss how the advent of “Q-day”—when quantum computers will break traditional cryptography—demands agility, architectural reinvention, and new policy priorities for both government and industrial space assets.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Executive Order on Quantum Innovation & Its Implications

• The Trump administration’s 2026 executive order gives special attention to space technology in the post-quantum era.
• Emphasis on the rapid pace of quantum advancement and the narrowing timeline for upgrading critical infrastructure.
• [02:31] “Its goal is to strengthen quantum technology development in key US agencies and industries. Space technology got a specific call out…” — Maria Varmazes

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2. The Quantum Threat: Historical Context & Industry Mobilization

• For 50 years, digital security has relied on just three core cryptographic algorithms.
• Quantum computing’s ability to break asymmetric encryption has accelerated urgency.
• NIST began quantum-safe algorithm selection in 2016; actionable standards emerged in 2024 (“ML Chem 1024” approved), with more under review.
• The Deep Seek release in 2025 heightened U.S. awareness of adversarial quantum research progress:
  • [05:04] “It’s an extraordinary technological run... but Quantum brings compute capabilities that will eviscerate asymmetric encryption… the release of Deep Seek… a new understanding that maybe the other side... was much more advanced than... previously given them credit for.” — Eddie Zurvagon

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3. The International Quantum Race

• The U.S. is playing catch-up as adversary spending and possible advancements accelerate.
• Lack of a clear “Q-day” deadline exacerbates strategic uncertainties.
• [07:11] “We don’t know where our adversaries are. We just know they’re probably a little further advanced than we gave them credit for... when the adversary has the capability, they will not be broadcasting it to the world.” — Eddie Zurvagon

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4. Unique Quantum Vulnerabilities in Space Infrastructure

• Space as more than a transport layer: satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground communications require robust authentication.
• Satellites present special challenges:
  • Assets often cannot be physically upgraded once launched.
  • Lifespans can be decades, needing future-proof security.
  • “Comms between the satellites and the ground station are ripe for an attack”—[08:51] Eddie Zurvagon
• Any major constellation must now consider post-quantum cryptography and the need for “crypto agility.”

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5. The Case for Crypto Agility: Architectural Overhaul

• Agility = the ability to update algorithms and responses without massive system interruptions.
• NIST is reviewing over 40 algorithms, suggesting continuous evolution.
• The old “set it and forget it” model is obsolete.
• “It’s not a math problem ... it’s an architectural problem. If you treat it as a math problem, you’re beholden to the algorithm that maybe today works but might not work tomorrow.” — [10:20] Eddie Zurvagon
• Analogy: “What we do is in-air refueling of the jet; the jet doesn’t have to land … We can accommodate changes … by separating key generation and delivery from the data plane and putting it in its own control plane.”
  • [11:15] Management plane for encryption is the new mandate.

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6. Funding and Policy: Urgency Without Resources

• Recognition of the threat is growing in the federal government and industry but alignment of funding lags behind.
• “[My] biggest worry is ... the lack of funding in order to move this forward.” — [15:05] Eddie Zurvagon
• The executive order moved the Q-day timeline up from 2035 to 2030, but legislative budget commitment is still missing:
  • “Executive orders ... don’t control the purse strings. That’s up to Congress.” — [16:47] Eddie Zurvagon

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7. Satellite Operators: Call to Action

• Space projects often lag in security attention compared to other sectors.
• Once a satellite is launched, retrofitting is nearly impossible—making design-phase security essential.
• Satellites, as critical infrastructure, must come under strict regulatory oversight for quantum resilience.
• “I'm a little concerned because I don't see the attention from a security standpoint on some of these big, big space projects that we're seeing.” — [17:43] Eddie Zurvagon

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8. The Coming Storm: AI + Quantum

• The future collision of AI (“the brains”) and quantum (“the brawn”) could create unprecedented security crises.
• Getting it right, early, is key for both policy and technology.
• “It’s not going to be too long before we have this deadly combination of AI and quantum getting together … and really create a wreaking havoc on our digital world.” — [18:50] Eddie Zurvagon

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Crypto Agility:
  “What crypto agility is is the ability to manage your cryptography without affecting your network.” (Eddie Zurvagon, [11:08])

• On Policy:
  “My biggest worry is not that people understand the problem and are willing to do something about it, but the lack of funding in order to move this forward.” ([15:05])

• On the Regulatory Mandate:
  “It’s really beholden on us to kind of really stress this … and make sure that especially as satellites are considered critical infrastructure, that they fall under some of the governing bodies … pushing this kind of post quantum mandate.” (Eddie Zurvagon, [17:43])

• On Urgency:
  “You can't send the Maytag repairman up there to fix it once it's done. So it's really, really important that we get it right and we get it done soon...” (Eddie Zurvagon, [18:50])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:31 — Executive Order's impact on space and quantum
• 05:04 — Quantum’s threat to legacy encryption
• 07:11 — Where the U.S. stands in the quantum race
• 08:51 — Quantum challenges unique to space assets
• 10:20 — The imperative for crypto agility
• 15:05 — Policy, funding, and the challenge of governmental priorities
• 17:43 — Satellite industry’s security “wake-up call”
• 18:50 — Final warning on the impending AI + quantum convergence

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Conclusion / Takeaway

This episode is a wake-up call for policymakers, industry leaders, and technologists: quantum threats are arriving faster than anticipated, and space—due to the irreversibility of satellite launches and the critical nature of its infrastructure—demands proactive, agile security solutions and immediate policy mobilization. Architectural foresight, not algorithmic complacency, will determine resilience in the Q-day era.

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Transcript

[Maria Varmazes]

You're listening to the Cyberwire Network, powered by N2K.

[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

Heading to this year's Black Hat USA. The N2K CyberWire team will be on site recording from our podcast studio in the Spectre Ops Kennel Club. If you're interested in joining us for a conversation or learning more about what we're recording throughout the week, visit sponsor.thecyberwire.com for more information. And make sure you stop by the studio and meet the N2K CyberWire team. We'll see you there.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

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[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

No, just him. Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're

[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

built different and Messi only trusts Duracell.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, I gotta tell you, I'm. I'm a little concerned because I don't see the attention from a security standpoint on some of these big, big space projects that we're seeing. I'm not see of attention that I'm seeing in other, call it on the Fed side, Fed Civilian and Dow. It's really beholden on us to kind of really stress this and make sure that especially as satellites are considered critical infrastructure that they fall under some of the governing bodies, if you will, in regulatory environment regarding critical infrastructure that are really pushing this kind of post. Quantum Mand.

[Maria Varmazes]

Welcome, I'm Maria Varmazes and you're listening to T Minus Space Cyber Briefing. In this show we examine the evolution of cybersecurity in the global and orbital infrastructure that powers, protects and connects our lives.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Foreign.

[Maria Varmazes]

22nd, 2026 the Trump administration issued an executive order titled Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation. Its goal is to strengthen quantum technology development in key US agencies and industries. Space technology got a specific call out in the Quantum eo as one might shorthand it. And in my chat today with Eddie Zurvagon, Space CEO of Quantum Exchange, we focus on space specific cyber considerations for when we officially enter a post quantum world. And that day is coming fast. So how can an industry that historically has not exactly been known for its agility keep ahead of fast accelerating risk? That Q day in the mirror is indeed closer than it may appear.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Eddie Zurvagon, CEO of Quantum Exchange I've been in the role for about six years. Prior to that I was a recovering banker investor at Morgan Stanley where I spent the better part of 15 years investing in what I would call transformational technologies. Companies like Digital Globe, which became Maxar, which was the first high resolution, commercially available satellite imaging company. Another company that's been in the news a lot lately, Bloom Energy. So was an original investor back in 2007 when I was Morgan Stanley, investing in the need for distributed power generation, which is now really coming full circle as AI data centers take the front page in terms of the need for distributed power. And then when the opportunity about six years ago came about to take over as CEO of a company that I had been previously an investor in, I really jumped at the opportunity, not knowing exactly when the market would materialize, but knowing that it would be the most consequential transformation in the digital economy that certainly we've seen in many, many years. And excited to be a part of it with what we think is superior technology.

[Maria Varmazes]

Oh, fantastic. Well, Eddie, I'm so excited to be speaking with you because the timing is just perfect given your area of expertise and what's been going on in current events. The executive order that recently came out about Quantum was huge, not just on the cybersecurity side, but also on the space side. And I'm wondering if you could maybe give me a bit of, given your area of expertise, some context around this E. And you know, why now? Why is Quantum suddenly getting all of this emphasis? I mean, it's not a brand new thing, but, you know, why in this moment is this happening?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, I think obviously 2016, NIST was kind of in charge or charged with the task of kind of figuring out the next algorithms that will take us into the post Quantum age. And you know, you have to take a step back and realize that it's an incredible technological run that for 50 years, basically everything that we do in the digital world has been secured by essentially three algorithms. And they have changed a little bit over time, but essentially they're three algorithms that have kind of underpinned our security in that period of time. It's an extraordinary technological run. And but unfortunately for us, the kind of compute capabilities that Quantum brings into the equation now are exactly the compute capabilities that will eviscerate asymmetric encryption, which is what we've relied on. And so NIST 2016 was in charge with looking at, okay, what are going to be the algorithms that are going to take us into the next generation, if you will, of encryption. And the first one was approved in 2024, which was ML10ML chem 1024. And then HQC was added last year. And so now you're starting to see the actionable algorithms come into play. Right. Prior to that, you couldn't really do anything because there wasn't a NIST approved algorithm. So as it relates to the federal government, which would be probably closest to understanding the severity of the problem. Right. They are now actionable. And I think it really took us into overdrive last summer with Deepseek and the release of Deep Seek and I guess the new understanding that maybe the other side of the ledger was much more advanced, if you will, than maybe we had previously given them credit for.

[Maria Varmazes]

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm jumping around a little bit, but I'd love for you to speak a little bit about that too, before we get into sort of what this all means for space and such, broadly the landscape of quantum right now. Where are United States compared to maybe our adversaries? Where are we? Are we about on the even playing field or does it seem like we're falling behind?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, unfortunately, like many problems that have some specific date, this one does not. We don't know where our adversaries are. We just know they're probably a little further advanced than we gave them credit for. And they're also spending a lot of money towards it. Right. Much more so in the recent past to what we have spent here in the US So that combination is not a, not a good combination for us. And you know, I was, I was listening to Nikesh Aurora's earnings call a couple of weeks ago where he talked about Mythos and using Mythos and, and the realization that 30% of the mythos false positives right, from, from a cyber perspective still require attention. And when you think about adversaries have to be right once on the defense, you've got to be overwhelming in terms of your response. So that's created a, that's created a rather long, long pole in the tent in terms of what we need to solve for. But suffice to say, when the adversary has the capability, they will not be broadcasting it to the world.

[Maria Varmazes]

Absolutely. Makes sense. Yeah, appreciate that. So let's bring it to the space domain and drill in a little bit there. I imagine for some of my listeners who are maybe less aware of what's going on within the space domain regarding quantum and quantum communications, they might be thinking of space as sort of just a transport layer. Can you give me a sense of the, of the very broad implications of, of, you know, of quantum for space? And let's just start there and then drill into where we're going with this.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

So as it relates to the security aspects to it. There are a couple of threats vectors that, that kind of surface. One is the ability to authenticate the, the, the space assets. Meaning there are going to be a lot of inter, interspatial communications. Right. Between satellites. Right. Inter satellite communications that need to be authenticated. Are you really talking to who you think you're talking to and not being spoofed? Right. So that's, that's not even getting to the ground. And then obviously the comms between the satellites and the ground station are ripe for an attack. Why? Because we know exactly when the satell handshake, if you will, from a cryptographic perspective because it's when that the, the ground station and the satellite can communicate and then you have from the ground station in which is also another vulnerability. The biggest issue with space is that unfortunately like a lot of terrestrial networks, you can't send the Maytag repairman up to fix the encryption. The encryption that's on the satellite when it's launched is what it's going to have. And many of these satellites are long lived assets that need to be up there for a while and others are rather short lived. So less, less of a, of, of an issue. But, but any meaningful constellation up there has to consider post quantum crypto and the agility that you're going to need to meet these threats as they come due, truly.

[Maria Varmazes]

So yeah, how do you essentially future proof something like that that you know, has a lifespan in terms of not just years, but potentially decades.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Yeah, that's, you know, that's a, it's a really good question because many people throw around the term crypto agility and crypto agility means, you know, the ability to handle new not only threats, but new algorithms as they come due. There's NIST has another something like 44 algorithms that are still in review that could be approved. So it's clear to me that they don't think this is a one and done, set it and forget it, whatever you want to call it. This again, Unlike the last 50 years, this is going to be an evolving threat that we're going to have to meet head on. And so therefore, as I like to articulate, not only internally but with our team, but also as it relates to customers and thought leaders on the subject. This is an architectural problem, it's not a math problem or physics problem. And if you treat it as a math problem, then you're beholden to the algorithm that maybe today works but might not work tomorrow. And even then you might have to change ML Chem 1024 might become ML Chem 2048. And what do you do in order to be able to change, but more importantly be able to do this at scale without bringing down the network? And so much of what we talk about is what is and what is not crypto agility. To us, what crypto agility is is the ability to manage your cryptography without affecting your network. In other words, I like to simplify it by saying what we do is in air refueling of the jet, the jet doesn't have to land in order for it to be refueled and then take off. We can accommodate changes in algorithm, audit, auditability, automation, anything that needs to happen. That when you have a management plane that is now taking over your encryption and that's what we do, we create a management plane by separating key generation and delivery from the data plane and putting in its own control plane, much like we we did with identity and access management years ago.

[Maria Varmazes]

Now that we have a sense of perhaps what needs to be done in a post quantum world for space cybersecurity, let's take a quick break now and when we get back we'll kick up on policy wise what needs to happen next. Stay tuned.

[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

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[Maria Varmazes]

And we're back. Let's continue on with my conversation with Eddie Zurvagon, CEO of Quantum Exchange. I'm thinking agility is not often a word that we hear in the context of anything space related, which is a shame and I know people are really working hard to change that, but it's the reality of the years. It takes to get a mission into orbit. And it's a fascinating challenge of when the on the ground reality is changing so fast, how can these systems that take so long to make and stay so long on orbit, how can they possibly keep up? So it's certainly not a hopeless situation, just a fascinating adaptation that systems that we're all interacting with have to make. And I'm wondering also about what other unique challenges our space systems are dealing with in the context of quantum that maybe we haven't mentioned. Is there anything else that our listeners should know?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, I think also I think what I spend a lot of time in D.C. advocating for is to align budget with the problem. Right. I think this problem has come much faster than anyone previously thought. And what I mean by that is I think people are starting to realize that. Yeah, sure, the quantity, I mean, five, six years ago when I started, I would have a conversation with the ciso and we'd spend the first half hour of the conversation talking about quantum, you know, computers and why the threat, the ability to be able to back into the private key from the public, all that stuff. Now it's not at all now, it's basically, how do you fit into my network work? Exactly. And I think that's a much better conversation to have. And as you get to federal agencies, whether it be civilian, Department of War, it's clear that there's a recognition of the threat that's there. And now we need to align federal budget to it. And given the dysfunctionality in our federal government right now, my worry is, my biggest worry is not that people understand the problem and are willing to do something about it, but the lack of funding in order to move this forward. Sea of a bigger issue, certainly with regards to the federal government and soon to be the critical industries such as, such as healthcare, financial services, critical infrastructure. But first the government, right. They're the closest to the problem. They understand the threat. And so we need to get, we need to get money behind the understanding in order to really make this work.

[Maria Varmazes]

I'm wondering, did you find the executive order to be a standard, a heartening sign, or is it just not enough of a concrete move?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, I mean, obviously executive orders on the, on the executive side of things. Right. So they don't control the purse strings. That, that's up to Congress. Yeah, but, but I think it, it, it stresses the severity of the problem. We moved the timeline in from 2035 to 2030. I think that's, that's a pretty good indicator of where they think directionally. This is going so now we just need Congress to match that from, from a budget perspective and a whole heck of a lot of money, especially if you want to do it right and you want to do it in a way that gives you, as you mentioned, maximum flexibility in the future, which is everything. The last thing you want is to have to put in place a whole system that needs to be ripped and replaced at some point in the future.

[Maria Varmazes]

Yeah, absolutely. And I'm wondering also the takeaway for folks in the space industry about essentially future proofing, if one can really do such a thing. But building in that agility, what do you think that folks in the industry should also know?

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Well, I got to tell you, I'm, I'm a little concerned because I don't see the attention from a security standpoint on some of these big, big space projects that we're seeing. I'm not seeing the, the level of attention that, that I'm seeing in other call it on the Fed side, Fed civilian and Dow. And so the first thing is we've got to come now, convince them that hey, this is something that needs to be done now and then start thinking about our architectural. As I mentioned once, once you launch a satellite, it's really tough to, to, to correct things because obviously you can't get out the satellite, the physical, the, the physical changes that need to be made. So I think it's, it's, it's, it's really beholden on us to kind of really stress this and, and, and make sure that especially as satellites are considered critical infrastructure, that they fall under some of the governing bodies, if you will, in regulatory environment regarding critical infrastructure that are really pushing this kind of post quantum mandate.

[Maria Varmazes]

That's a fascinating, fascinating point there, Eddie. I want to be mindful of your time. If there's anything else you want to leave our audience with before we close out the floor is yours.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Yeah, no, I think, I think it's been a great conversation. I really appreciate you taking leadership and ownership on this very, very important issue, especially as it relates to space, because of exactly the points that I make, which is you can't send the Maytag repairman up there to fix it once it's done. So it's really, really important that we get it right and we get it done soon because it's not be too long before we have this deadly combination of AI and quantum getting together and as I like to call AI the brains and quantum the brawn and really create a wreaking havoc on our, on our, on our digital world. And so anything that we can do to further the case that architecture is what ultimately will guide us, I think is is time well spent and money well spent well.

[Maria Varmazes]

Eddie, thank you so much for speaking to me and our whole audience about this. This is an extremely important topic and I greatly appreciate your time and expertise on so thank you so much for joining me today.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

Thank you so much Maria. Really appreciate the time.

[Maria Varmazes]

And that's T minus Space Cyber Briefing brought to you by N2K CyberWire. If you like what you heard today, you will also enjoy our newsletter Signals and Space. You'll get research and notes pulled together by our producer Ethan Cook and me, along with this week's top Space Cyber news stories. Subscribe by visiting TheCyberWire.com newsletters We'd love to know what you think of this podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape. If you like our show, please share a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send an email to space2k.com we are proud that N2K Cyberwire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector. From the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies, N2K helps cybersecurity professionals grow, learn and stay informed. As the nexus for discovery and connection, we bring you the people, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn [e-mail] thanks for listening to T Minus. I am your host Maria Varmazes. This show is produced by Ethan Cook and Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our Executive producer is Jennifer Iban with content strategy by Mayan Plout. Peter Kilpe is our publisher. See you next week.

[Eddie Zurvagon]

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[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

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[Maria Varmazes]

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[Eddie Zurvagon]

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[N2K CyberWire Team Member]

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[Maria Varmazes]

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