Boeing To Launch Quantum Comms Satellite Testbed In 2026

Undeterred by the problems of its Starliner crewed space capsule, Boeing has a plan to do a bit of uncrewed science – launching a satellite upon which it will run a demo of quantum entanglement swapping that could help enable secure comms.

Boeing says it plans to send the satellite, dubbed "Q4S," to orbit sometime in 2026 on a self-funded mission to demonstrate the feasibility of quantum communications - at least in the West.

"Quantum entanglement swapping underpins the communication of the future, expanding quantum networks beyond simple point-to-point communication. We're launching Q4S to prove it can be done in orbit," said Jay Lowell, Boeing's chief of disruptive computing, networks and sensors. "We're making a big bet on quantum technology."

China has already demonstrated orbital quantum comms using its eight-year-old "Micius" satellite. That effort apparently worked so well the Middle Kingdom was this week declared the world's quantum comms leader according to the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

The Foundation believes Micius has demonstrated the potential to build a global quantum network - which is exactly what Boeing is hoping it will be able to do with Q4S.

Quantum entanglement is a natural phenomenon in which two separated particles - photons, most commonly - remain connected without being in direct contact. Albert Einstein called entanglement "spooky action at a distance," where measuring the state of one particle determines the state of the other, even over large distances.

Using entanglement for secure comms involves two separate pairs of entangled particles, where particles from different pairs become entangled without ever interacting directly. This is achieved by performing a specific quantum measurement on one particle from each pair (say, particle A from pair A/B and particle C from pair C/D), which causes the remaining particles (B and D) to become entangled, even though they've never interacted.

China has demonstrated entanglement swapping between Micius and two ground stations more than 1,200 kilometers away.

If you can keep connecting entangled pairs you end up with a network of nodes. The concept of entanglement swapping is fundamental to building quantum networks that would be able to transmit information over extremely long distances at very high speeds, while maintaining a high level of security.

"Our understanding of what quantum can enable is already incredible, and we've barely scratched the surface," Boeing space mission systems communications lead Zeyad Maasarani told The Register.

"We've demonstrated the core [entanglement swapping] technology in Q4S works in ground experiments," Maasarani said. "We're now in the final validation phase of testing for the space-hardened payload."

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Most of the major risks have been eliminated, Maasarani added, saying that Boeing is now confident it will achieve its planned launch window.

"Our goal is ultimately to have a better understanding of how entanglement swapping works in space," Maasarani told us when asked what Boeing hopes to prove by simply swapping a couple of entanglement links on particles located close together in a small satellite.

If initial tests are successful in 2026, Maasarani says Boeing hopes to launch additional satellites so it can test establishing connections between satellites to prove entanglement swapping is a viable communications medium.

A specific launch date wasn't shared, nor were details on how the satellite will get to space - we're told it'll be riding with a launch partner, but Boeing didn't want to name who that might be.

Boeing's great rival, Airbus, is also testing quantum comms – partnering with ESA, Thales and others on several quantum space-to-Earth projects. ®