spacetoday.net: Capella Space to be acquired by quantum computing company

Posted: Sat, May 10, 2025, 9:45 AM ET (1345 GMT)
Capella Space, a company that operates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, is being acquired by a quantum computing company. IonQ announced Wednesday it is buying Capella Space in a deal whose terms were not disclosed. IonQ said it is buying Capella to support its plans to develop a space-based quantum key distribution (QKD) network, which promises to offer communications with encryption impossible to be broken. IonQ's interest in Capella goes beyond satellite hardware. The radar firm holds classified contracts and operates secure facilities, which could give IonQ a pathway into defense and intelligence markets as it builds out its space-based quantum vision.