HRL Laboratories

HRL Laboratories is a research center jointly owned by Boeing and General Motors, located in Malibu, California. Despite the GM co-ownership, HRL's space-relevant research is substantial: the lab works on quantum photonics (including the Q4S satellite program demonstrating quantum entanglement swapping in space, a key 2025 milestone toward quantum repeater networks), advanced materials, silicon photonics, RF/microwave electronics, and autonomous systems. For space applications, HRL's quantum networking research is directly relevant to the EuroQCI and future quantum internet infrastructure. HRL's materials research (including advanced metamaterials and additive manufacturing) also supports aerospace structures and antenna systems. As a corporate R&D lab rather than a startup, HRL operates on long-term DARPA, DoD, and internal R&D funding cycles, bridging fundamental research and eventual Boeing space product applications.