Quantum/Machines/Pasqal Orion Alpha at DistriQ
Canada · operational · Neutral atoms
Pasqal Orion Alpha at DistriQ
Pasqal Orion Alpha at DistriQ is a neutral atoms quantum computer operated by DistriQ in Canada. It has 100 physical qubits. It ranks 8 of 13 neutral atom machines in this table by physical qubit count. 5 sourced specs are in the spec sheet. No benchmark figures are recorded for it yet.
Also known as Orion Alpha, DistriQ Pasqal QPU
DistriQ bought a 100-qubit Pasqal QPU in June 2025, financed by Quebec government loans and a National Bank of Canada loan, with delivery and installation in Sherbrooke. A trade report of 21 April 2026 names it Orion Alpha, calls it the first quantum computer manufactured in Sherbrooke and says Canadian researchers and enterprises can access it through PINQ2's Advanced Hybrid Platform from April 2026. The sources consulted do not use the identifier FRESNEL_CAN1.
Spec sheet
Technical details as the builder or a paper states them, each with its own source. A blank is a fact we could not source, not a zero. Fidelity and coherence figures are in the benchmark table below.
| Spec | Value | Basis | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Orion Alpha QPU, 100 qubits | Vendor reported | Trade report of 21 April 2026 names the unit Orion Alpha; the DistriQ purchase notice gives 100 qubits without a generation name. | thequantuminsider.com |
| Qubit type | Neutral atom qubits | Vendor reported | DistriQ describes the purchased Pasqal QPU as 100 neutral atom qubits; the atom species is not stated. | distriq.com |
| Fabrication | Manufactured in Sherbrooke by Pasqal Canada | Vendor reported | DistriQ's director calls it the first quantum computer manufactured in Sherbrooke; Pasqal opened its Sherbrooke factory in June 2025. | thequantuminsider.compasqal.com |
| Cloud platforms | PINQ2 Advanced Hybrid Platform | Vendor reported | The platform also offers IBM Quantum System One access according to the same report. | thequantuminsider.com |
| Access and pricing | On-site at DistriQ, open to Canadian researchers and enterprises through PINQ2 from April 2026 | Vendor reported | PINQ2 is the exclusive Canadian distributor for Pasqal systems; no price is published. | thequantuminsider.com |
Timeline
- 2025-06-17: Announced
- 2026-04: First operational
- 2026-04-21: Status checked: operational
Comparable neutral atom machines
Closest in physical qubit count within the same technology. Counts of different qubit types are not interchangeable across technologies.
| Machine | Operator | Qubits | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasqal Fresnel | Pasqal | 100 | operational |
| Pasqal Ruby | GENCI | 100 | operational |
| Pasqal JADE | Forschungszentrum Julich | 100 | operational |
| Infleqtion Sqale at NQCC | National Quantum Computing Centre | 100 | operational |
| Hanyuan-1 | CAS Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement | 100 | operational |
| Pasqal SOL | CINECA | 140 | operational |