In-space infrastructure is the invisible backbone of our society that provides the timing, navigation, communication and sensing capabilities that underpin nearly everything we do on Earth. Today, there are more than 16,000 active satellites in orbit, supporting navigation, communications, weather forecasting, financial synchronization, national security systems and more. And this orbital footprint will continue to grow: The World Economic Forum and McKinsey estimate the global space economy will expand from approximately USD 630 billion in 2023 to USD 1.8 trillion by 2035. Meanwhile, for all its extraordinary promise to accelerate scientific discovery and transform industries, quantum computing carries a profound potential risk. Decades ago, mathematicians proved that in the future, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could use Shor’s algorithm to break the public key cryptography that protects today’s digital world. If attackers applied this capability to critical space systems, it wouldn’t just threaten satellites—it would threaten every Earth-based system that depends on their integrity. Just a handful of compromised space systems could trigger widespread, systemic failures. They can potentially disrupt stock markets, cause payment systems to fail, fracture supply chains, expose sensitive data and intellectual property and cause governments to face immediate crises. Discover emerging research in AI, quantum, hybrid cloud, and more from IBM’s experts with the monthly Future Forward newsletter. The risk is no longer theoretical. It is now a matter of US national policy. On 22 June 2026, the President’s office issued Executive Order 14412, “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks,” which states: “It is the policy of the United States to safeguard national security and maintain technological leadership by responsibly and effectively executing the transition of Federal information systems to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and to assist critical infrastructure owners and operators with