IonQ has announced plans to acquire Capella Space as part of its strategy to build the first space-based quantum-secure communications network. The move comes just months after IonQ acquired Qubitekk, a quantum networking startup, and formed partnerships with ID Quantique and Intellian Technologies. With Capella’s orbital sensing capabilities and existing satellite infrastructure, IonQ aims to realize a space-to-space and space-to-ground quantum key distribution (QKD) platform that extends quantum networking beyond terrestrial limits.
The acquisition will bolster IonQ’s position in developing secure satellite-to-ground encryption infrastructure, enabling it to deliver QKD at global scale. By combining Capella’s high-resolution radar systems with IonQ’s quantum repeaters (via Lightsynq) and photonic quantum detection, the company envisions sovereign-grade, AI-augmented space platforms for defense, intelligence, and secure global communications. Once complete, Capella will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary, with CEO Frank Backes leading IonQ’s space initiatives.
IonQ’s growing portfolio of space and defense quantum infrastructure includes a recent $22M public-private initiative with EPB in Tennessee and contracts with ARLIS and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory for quantum networking deployments. These projects reinforce IonQ’s ambition to be the first to bring both a quantum network and quantum computer to orbit, advancing national security, secure data transmission, and the broader vision of a quantum internet.
For full details, read IonQ’s official press release here.
May 7, 2025
