photo of the international space station
The International Space Station as seen from a Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021. Credit: NASA

The University of Illinois’ Space Entanglement and Annealing Quantum Experiment (SEAQUE) is a compelling success story in the global race to develop quantum communication networks in space. The experiment’s success was enabled by a novel collaboration approach across academia, industry and government. As such, SEAQUE is more than a physics experiment. It’s a demonstration of student-driven innovation, commercial collaboration, and American ingenuity at the edge of science that offers a model for how the United States can lead on crucial space-based quantum technologies. But that model could be at risk if not financially supported. 

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Mark Gittleman is a long-time space and defense industry executive. He is the current chair of the ISS National Laboratory® User Advisory Committee and of the Aegis Aerospace Board of Advisors.