A photonic mini–quantum computer is set for launch into space. The system, developed by physicists at the University of Vienna and measuring the size of three milk cartons, is slated to lift off Friday (20 June) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California (USA) as part of the “ION” satellite platform aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 2:19 PM local time (11:19 PM CEST). If successful, it would be the world’s first quantum processor in orbit, according to the university.
The satellite bus, equipped with a quantum processor measuring 150 × 150 × 453 mm and weighing 9.5 kg, will orbit Earth at an altitude of 550 km. About a week after “ION” is deployed, the mini–quantum computer—“built full throttle in just one and a half years on two decades of expertise,” said project leader Philip Walther—could begin sending its first signals. Normally, such a system takes ten years to develop. Whether it can withstand the extreme conditions of space won’t be known until weeks after launch.
“Space Missions Are Always Hard”
“If it works up there and performs its intended tasks, that will be the bigger sensation,” Walther said. He could not yet disclose the specific data the system will collect or the concrete research questions. Any results will be prepared for specialist publications and released later.
“Space missions are always difficult. The system must survive the rocket launch and transient g-forces a thousand times Earth gravity, endure temperature swings from +70 °C to −30 °C, operate in vacuum, and consume very little power”—precisely where a quantum computer could shine: “through more efficient power use and the ability to compute faster,” Walther explained. Using edge computing, the system will process data on board the satellite itself. “Instead of transmitting raw data, the satellite will deliver analyzed results directly. That’s the real art— the more you can process in orbit, the better.”
Photons As a Predestined Approach
“We work with photons—this type of quantum-technology hardware is, in my view, far superior to other architectures like ions or superconductors,” the researcher said. Photonic systems can be built lighter, smaller, and more robust. “This mission also allows us to test the performance and durability of quantum hardware under extreme conditions.”
The project partners include the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the National Research Council (CNR) in Milan, the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and the Vienna start-up Qubo Technology. After its mission, the mini–quantum computer—and its “ION” carrier—will be deliberately burned up in the atmosphere. The mission is scheduled for six months, but researchers hope “to receive data over several years to study the long-term effects of space conditions on quantum technology,” Walther added.
