Orbital Quantum Leap: First Photonic Edge-Computing Satellite Set to Transform Space Data Processing
The ROQuET payload, a photonic quantum computer no larger than a shoebox, was developed by Philip Walther’s team at the University of Vienna and measures about 15 × 15 × 45 cm, weighing roughly 9.5 kg with an aluminum frame and a borosilicate glass optical circuit. The device was launched on June 23, 2025, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-14 mission and hosted on D-Orbit’s ION platform as the SCV004 Upmik payload. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base and deployed around 70 satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit at about 550 km altitude. The mission demonstrates edge computing, enabling