Researchers run quantum photonic processor in space

A team led by the University of Vienna has, for the first time, operated a programmable quantum photonic processor aboard a satellite in low Earth orbit. Their experiment proved two-photon quantum interference and found the hardware worked as intended despite the harsh space environment. While this didn't show any practical task or speedup over traditional computers, it's an early step toward running quantum data analysis directly on satellites instead of Earth.

• First programmable quantum photonic processor in orbit
• Experiment showed two-photon quantum interference
• Hardware survived rocket launch and space radiation
• Did not demonstrate a practical quantum speedup
• Next goal: process remote-sensing data onboard