Microsoft Grants DARPA Hands-On Access to Quantum Hardware at New Maryland Site

Microsoft Corporation has announced it will provide the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) with direct, physical access to its latest quantum computing hardware. The system, powered by Microsoft's proprietary AI-designed Majorana 2 chip, will be located at a newly opened research facility in the University of Maryland's Discovery District near Washington, D.C. This shifts DARPA from previous remote evaluations in Washington State and Europe to dedicated on-site testing. DARPA aims to determine whether quantum systems can achieve economically viable computational value exceeding system costs by 2033, while Microsoft targets releasing commercial systems by 2029.