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[Confirmed]

# NASA Glenn sent photons between a plane in flight and the ground over a quantum channel

NASA calls it a US first. The flight took place on October 21.

Leaked on 04 November 2026

![Screenshot of @NASAglenn's X post: We’re taking quantum communications to new heights! ✈️ Late last month, @NASA researchers made history when they successfully sent tiny lig](https://leakly.com/assets/images/nasa-glenn-aircraft-quantum-link-hero.jpg)

@NASAglenn's post on X, with counts as of 09 Nov 2026 12:49 UTC. [Live post on X](https://x.com/NASAglenn/status/2117995323104666087)

[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/glenn/research/quantum-information-systems-for-networking-and-sensing/)'s Glenn Research Center (@NASAglenn) said on November 4 that its researchers sent single photons between an aircraft in flight and a ground station over a quantum channel, which NASA describes as a first in the United States.

> **NASA's Glenn Research Center** @NASAglenn
>
> We’re taking quantum communications to new heights! ✈️
> Late last month, @NASA researchers made history when they successfully sent tiny light particles, or photons, between an aircraft and a ground station over a quantum channel, the first time this has been achieved in the U.S. (1/3)
>
> 495 likes · 89 reposts · counts as of 09 Nov 2026, 12:49 UTC
>
> — NASA's Glenn Research Center (@NASAglenn) [November 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASAglenn/status/2117995323104666087)

not in our leaker index

The flight took place on October 21, and the team "successfully locked onto a quantum signal and recorded data in flight," Glenn said, according to [Avi-Go](https://avi-go.com/news/articles/73fd20ea967e445e47052574c923334a). Avi-Go notes that link metrics have not been published.

NASA confirmed the test. Its practical performance is not yet known.

## What we know

* The test flight was on October 21.

## What we don't know

* Link performance metrics.

## What would confirm it

Published results from NASA.

## Sources

* [Original X post by @NASAglenn](https://x.com/NASAglenn/status/2117995323104666087)
* [NASA Glenn Sends Photons Between In-Flight PC-12 and Ground Station in First U.S. Air-to-Ground Quantum Link | AviNews](https://avi-go.com/news/articles/73fd20ea967e445e47052574c923334a)
* [Quantum Information Systems for Networking and Sensing - NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/glenn/research/quantum-information-systems-for-networking-and-sensing/)

[Confirmed]

## What happened later

NASA confirmed the test. Its practical performance is not yet known.

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