Austria’s quantum processor launches into space – a technological triumph!

Austria’s quantum processor launches into space – a technological triumph!

On June 20, 2025, the Austrian research community will celebrate a significant technological advance: a photonic quantum processor, developed under the leadership of Philip Walther from the University of Vienna, will be launched into space. This step represents a milestone in quantum technology and shows Austria's leading position in this innovative field. The Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research, Eva-Maria Holzleitner, described the upcoming launch as a triumph of public research and emphasized the importance of such technologies for the future. Designed to withstand extreme conditions in space, the quantum processor enables direct and energy-efficient data processing outside Earth.

The quantum computer will be launched on June 20, 2025 from 11 p.m. Central European Time and will be broadcast live. Innovation Minister Peter Hanke emphasizes the need to support key technologies in which Austria is already a leader. The nationwide funding program Quantum Austria, which is providing a total of 107 million euros by 2026, is evidence of this focus. In the last call for proposals, around 6 million euros were raised for innovative projects, including the SPACE project, which illustrates the commitment to quantum sciences.

Advances in quantum computing research

In addition to the development of the quantum processor, progress is also being made in quantum computing research in Austria. The company Alpine Quantum Technologies GmbH (AQT), a spin-off from the University of Innsbruck and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, is working on developing its own quantum computer. AQT was founded one and a half years ago and currently has six employees. Within the next two years, the company plans to create a prototype that will be the size of two traditional 19-inch server racks.

The development of the quantum computer is based on the technology of ion traps, which was proposed and further developed by Peter Zoller and Ignacio Cirac in Innsbruck. This technology makes it possible to manipulate identical atoms and ensures the complete entanglement of the qubits. AQT can currently be proven to entangle 20 qubits and is taking a cautious approach by refraining from making unrealistic promises. Nevertheless, error correction in quantum computing development represents a significant challenge that must be solved in the next few years.

The research landscape in Austria is therefore actively positioned at the forefront of global developments in quantum science. While Google has already demonstrated “quantum supremacy” with superconducting circuits, AQT is pursuing robust technology development and could play an important role in international quantum competition in the future. However, the great challenge of developing scalable and error-free quantum computation remains.

Overall, the launch of the quantum processor and the work of companies like AQT show how Austria is once again acting as a pioneer in quantum research. The coming years will be crucial to unlock the full potential of these technologies and set global standards. Further information on the developments is also available at ORF and ÖAW.