Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CARIOQA-PMP (Cold Atom Rubidium Interferometer in Orbit for Quantum Accelerometry – Pathfinder Mission Preparation)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-08-31
The overarching goal of CARIOQA-PMP is to prepare the deployment of quantum gravimeters/accelerometers in space, within the decade, through a Quantum Pathfinder Mission. Indeed, the emergence of quantum sensors offers an opportunity to provide new applications for climate sciences through the improvement of space gravimetry performance. Hence, the mastery of this technology in
space is one of the major environmental, technological and strategic challenges of the decade. Three main objectives have been set for the scope and duration of CARIOQA-PMP:
1. To develop an Engineering Model (EM) of the mission’s instrument and to increase the TRL of the critical subsystems up to 5. Complementary EU industrial partners develop the subsystems of the instrument (i.e. Physics Package, Laser System, Microwave Source and Ground Support Equipment) and increase its TRL by assessing the critical technologies in relevant environments. Excellent institutes bring their quantum expertise for the definition of the EM and the mastering of its performance
2. To guarantee the adequacy of the hardware development with the future scientific needs. Through their knowledge of scientific applications, leading institutes in geodesy analyse and simulate potential mission scenarios for the Quantum Pathfinder Mission and future Post-Pathfinder scientific missions
3. To establish a technical and programmatic roadmap for Quantum Space Gravimetry Missions. This roadmap will be shared and validated by European stakeholders. It ensures the impact maximisation of the project’s results through its harmonisation with the European programmatic framework.
CARIOQA-PMP brings together the main players of quantum sensors in Europe. It gathers unique skills among 16 partners from 5 EU Member States including 2 space agencies, 8 research organisations and 6 industries. As a result, CARIOQA-PMP will secure the capacities for implementing quantum gravimeters/accelerometers in space within the EU, contributing to the EU's strategic goal of non-dependence and autonomy.
space is one of the major environmental, technological and strategic challenges of the decade. Three main objectives have been set for the scope and duration of CARIOQA-PMP:
1. To develop an Engineering Model (EM) of the mission’s instrument and to increase the TRL of the critical subsystems up to 5. Complementary EU industrial partners develop the subsystems of the instrument (i.e. Physics Package, Laser System, Microwave Source and Ground Support Equipment) and increase its TRL by assessing the critical technologies in relevant environments. Excellent institutes bring their quantum expertise for the definition of the EM and the mastering of its performance
2. To guarantee the adequacy of the hardware development with the future scientific needs. Through their knowledge of scientific applications, leading institutes in geodesy analyse and simulate potential mission scenarios for the Quantum Pathfinder Mission and future Post-Pathfinder scientific missions
3. To establish a technical and programmatic roadmap for Quantum Space Gravimetry Missions. This roadmap will be shared and validated by European stakeholders. It ensures the impact maximisation of the project’s results through its harmonisation with the European programmatic framework.
CARIOQA-PMP brings together the main players of quantum sensors in Europe. It gathers unique skills among 16 partners from 5 EU Member States including 2 space agencies, 8 research organisations and 6 industries. As a result, CARIOQA-PMP will secure the capacities for implementing quantum gravimeters/accelerometers in space within the EU, contributing to the EU's strategic goal of non-dependence and autonomy.
The project began in December 2022 and is now in the middle of its term. Activities are proceeding according to schedule, and the main achievements are:
* The definition of CARIOQA Quantum Pathfinder Mission scenario,
* The mapping of the existing simulation tools used by the various partners and the realisation of the first simulations of quantum sensor performance and missions
* The identification of the needs of the scientific end-user community to prepare the future Quantum Space Gravimetry Mission
* The definition, technical specification and preliminary design of the pathfinder EM instrument and its subsystems (Physics Package, Laser Source, Microwave Source, EGSE/ICPU simulator)
* The Preliminary Design Review of the Engineering model of the quantum accelerometer
* The start of the development of the different EM subsystems
* The launch of the CARIOQA-PMP website
* The definition of CARIOQA Quantum Pathfinder Mission scenario,
* The mapping of the existing simulation tools used by the various partners and the realisation of the first simulations of quantum sensor performance and missions
* The identification of the needs of the scientific end-user community to prepare the future Quantum Space Gravimetry Mission
* The definition, technical specification and preliminary design of the pathfinder EM instrument and its subsystems (Physics Package, Laser Source, Microwave Source, EGSE/ICPU simulator)
* The Preliminary Design Review of the Engineering model of the quantum accelerometer
* The start of the development of the different EM subsystems
* The launch of the CARIOQA-PMP website
The results beyond the state of the art will be obtain at the end of the CARIOQA-PMP project.