Quantum Space Gravimetry topic

Expected Outcome

Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Support the EU space policy by fostering the development of groundbreaking space technology and support the Quantum Europe Strategy.
• Enhance the technological maturation of the critical components necessary to perform quantum space gravimetry.
• Foster the technological leadership and non-dependence of the EU in the field of quantum gravimetry from space and promote the EU’s competitiveness in quantum technologies.

This action aims at supporting the maturation, development and/or implementation of quantum gravimetry technology for space.

Monitoring the Earth gravity field provides key information and data on Earth mass movements. This type of data is of utmost importance for Earth science and used in many areas, for example to monitor ice sheet changes, floods or droughts, volcanic activities and earthquakes. The community of users for such data spans from climate scientists to geophysicists and relies on quality and precise data. Monitoring the Earth gravity field from space provides a global scale to the user community and fosters the development of models and understanding of the Earth as an integrated and global system.

Space gravimetry data provided up to now (or planned in the near future) is using an underlying technology based on electrostatic accelerometers, which has reached its limits in terms of performance. Accelerometers based on quantum technology may offer enhanced performances in terms of sensitivity, accuracy, stability and operational time compared to these classical accelerometers.

The European Commission is committed to the development of quantum technologies and for this purpose, adopted the Quantum Europe Strategy in July 2025 (Quantum Europe Strategy | Shaping Europe’s digital future). This strategy identifies Space as a critical element and highlights the benefits of quantum sensing, including for fundamental science. The strategy provides the case for a network of mobile and stationary quantum sensors and foresees the deployment of ground, airborne and space-based gravimeters for Earth observation purposes. The strategy highlights the need for and importance of developing a space compatible technology to fulfil this ambition.

Quantum technologies are also identified as a critical R&I area in the EU Economic Security Strategy (eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52023JC0020). Mastering this technology will contribute to the EU technological sovereignty and foster the development of an EU non-dependent quantum & space ecosystem, able to address the EU’s ambitions for its space policy.

To meet these strategic objectives and envisage a full-blown quantum space gravimetry capacity, the development and in-orbit testing of a quantum accelerometer is a pre-requisite. The European Commission has been supporting the development of quantum accelerometer technology for ground and space gravimetry with dedicated calls in Horizon Europe.

This call will support the implementation, development and maturation of quantum accelerometer technologies for space gravimetry. Proposals should present a technological solution provided it is quantum-based, aims at enhancing the performance of gravimetry mission(s) currently planned (based on electrostatic accelerometers), and the resulting projects are expected to be consistent with a common overarching roadmap and recommendations to be established in close coordination with EU Member States, Norway and Iceland through a dedicated Quantum Space Gravimetry Expert Group (QSGEG). The action should foster the development of the underlying technology and result in a breadboard / payload prototype subsystems / engineering models demonstrating the feasibility and expected performance of the technological solution and its potential further development for integration on a satellite platform, the design of which should also be presented. Proposals should also provide a clear implementation strategy allowing the chosen solution to be tested in-orbit in a demonstrator in the future, the associated development lifecycle of which is free of choice (ECSS or other).

Scope

The areas of R&I, which needs to be addressed to tackle the above-mentioned expected outcomes are:

• Area 1: R&I on the technology based on cold atom interferometry with Bose Einstein Condensates (BECs) for Quantum Space Gravimetry. Proposals should aim at the maturation of all relevant technology to TRL 6 and deliver engineering and qualification models of the payload subsystems to demonstrate the technology in orbit.
• Area 2: R&I on emerging technology for Quantum Space Gravimetry such as SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) or nuclear spin-based gravimeters or hybridized technology (list not exhaustive). Proposals should aim at the development of the relevant technology to TRL 4-5 and deliver breadboards or prototypes of a payload aiming at demonstrating the technology in orbit.

Proposals should contribute to one of the above R&I areas and this area should be clearly and unambiguously identified. To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the two areas described above, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within each area, provided that the applications attain all thresholds. Intellectual Property (IP) rights and ownership must be clearly defined and the provisions in Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement shall apply (relevant to protection, exploitation, transfer and licensing, access rights to results and background). The beneficiaries of the grant should also reflect on the availability of the IPs for potential next steps of the activity.

Where applicable, proposers are invited to explore synergies with or build-upon past actions related to quantum technology and/or space gravimetry either at national or EU level.

In this topic, the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort.

Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-6 by the end of the project. The reference TRL definition is the ISO 16290:2013 applicable to the space sector.