For The First Time, a Quantum Computer Has Operated in Space

For the first time, a quantum processor has operated in space.

Heat, vibration, electromagnetic interference, and other disturbances can disrupt those states, introducing errors or destroying the quantum behavior the computer needs to work.

The processor developed by Walther and his colleagues uses particles of light – photons – to carry quantum information.

For the processor to exploit their quantum behavior, those photons need to be indistinguishable from one another.

The only way to tackle these problems was going to be one piece at a time – with the rocket launch first on the menu.