Irish quantum computing startup Equal1 has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to install its Bell-1 Quantum Computer at ESA’s Φ-lab (pronounced ‘Phi-Lab’).

The installation will be carried out as part of the ESA’s FutureEO flagship program under its Quantum Computing for Earth Observation initiative (QC4EO), which aims to use quantum technologies to accelerate the processing of Earth Observation data structures.

Earth Observation generates vast amounts of data, essential for climate modeling, weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, and precise image analysis. However, when it comes to processing such data sets, classical computing faces limitations, with organizations such as the ESA turning to hybrid quantum computing technologies in an effort to overcome these challenges.

Spun out of University College Dublin in 2018, Equal1 unveiled its Bell-1 quantum server in March 2025. Bell-1 is a silicon-based offering that operates at 1,600W and slots “seamlessly” into existing data centers and high-performance computing (HPC) environments by plugging into standard electrical sockets.

Named after John Stewart Bell, the Belfast-born physicist whose work focused on quantum mechanics, upon its release, the company said the Bell-1 had been designed to augment, rather than replace, classical computing.

The server functions as a 6-qubit quantum processing system, with its UnityQ QPU sitting alongside existing CPU and GPU-based workloads. Its closed-cycle cryo-cooler allows the machine to operate at 0.3 Kelvin (-272.85°C) without requiring large external dilution refrigerators, while future generations of the Bell Quantum Server family will incorporate Equal1’s Quantum System on Chip (QSoC) technology.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with the European Space Agency on this transformative project,” said Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1. “Our Bell-1 Quantum Computer, designed for seamless integration into existing HPC environments, is perfectly suited to augment ESA’s capabilities. This collaboration underscores our shared vision of making quantum computing a powerful tool for accelerating complex data center workloads, especially in vital areas like Earth Observation.”

The Φ-lab is located at ESA’s ESRIN establishment outside Rome in Frascati, Italy. The site also hosts ESA’s HPE-made Space HPC cluster.

Simonetta Cheli, director of ESA’s Earth Observation programs and head of the European Space Research Institute, added: “The complexities of Earth Observation data, from environmental monitoring to disaster response, require unprecedented processing power, and we are thrilled that this collaboration between Equal1 and ESA could pave the way for hosting the first quantum computer at ESA.”