NASA and Nobel Laureate–Co-founded Infleqtion to Launch World’s 1st Quantum Gravity Sensor into Space

NASA has long used satellites like GRACE and GOCE to map Earth’s gravity, but quantum sensors promise far greater sensitivity. But now, NASA and Infleqtion are collaborating on a groundbreaking mission: the Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf). This will be the world’s first quantum gravity sensor flown to space, marking a major milestone in quantum sensing and Earth science. This mission could pave the way for next-generation Earth observation satellites that detect subtle changes in mass distribution across the planet.

Infleqtion is a pioneering deeptech company specializing in neutral atom quantum technology, founded in 2007 by a team that includes Nobel laureate Theodor Hänsch. With more than 250 employees—over half of them PhD-level scientists and engineers—the company has built one of the world’s largest teams dedicated to advancing quantum computing and sensing.

As a deeptech startup, Infleqtion focuses on long-gestation, science-led innovation that bridges fundamental physics with real-world applications. Its portfolio spans quantum computers, precision sensors, and proprietary software platforms, with use cases in climate monitoring, defense, secure communications, and advanced materials research. Backed by over $311 million in funding and holding more than 230 patents, Infleqtion operates globally across the US, UK, Japan, and Australia, positioning itself as a leader in commercializing quantum breakthroughs for both government and industry.

Quantum sensors can detect the smallest variations in gravitational fields, helping scientists map underground water reserves, track ice sheet changes, and monitor natural resources with unmatched precision.

Infleqtion designed, developed, and tested the Physics Package Assembly (2nd image below this article) for NASA’s Cold Atom Lab aboard the International Space Station. This unique facility cools atoms to near absolute zero in microgravity, creating Bose-Einstein condensates that allow deeper study of quantum behavior and enhanced precision measurement. 

Key Details

A map of Earth’s gravity. Red indicates areas of the world that exert greater gravitational pull, while blue indicates areas that exert less. A science-grade quantum gravity gradiometer could one day make maps like this with unprecedented accuracy. [Credit: NASA] 

• Mission Lead: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Southern California.
• Partner: Infleqtion, a leader in quantum sensing and computing using neutral-atom technology.
• Objective: Deploy a quantum sensor in low Earth orbit (LEO) to measure Earth’s gravitational field and its gradients with unprecedented precision.
• Funding: Over $20 million contracted to date.
• Timeline: Expected launch around 2030.
• Technology: Cold-atom quantum sensing forms the core of the instrument.

Atomic physics package overview, showing a design for a single source gravity gradiometer. The three main regions are: a vapor loaded 2D-MOT, an atom chip for 3D-MOT and BEC generation, and an interferometry region.

Why It Matters

• Scientific Impact: Gravity measurements help track mass dynamics on Earth’s surface — such as ice sheet changes, groundwater depletion, and tectonic activity.
• Applications: Could revolutionize monitoring of climate change, natural resources, and disaster prediction.
• Strategic Value: Positions the U.S. at the forefront of quantum space sensing, a field with both scientific and national security implications.

The QGGPf mission is designed to demonstrate quantum sensor technologies that could transform how Earth’s gravity is measured from space, said Infleqtion in its official statement. The quantum sensor is designed to monitor mass dynamics across the planet’s surface, including changes in water, ice and land, while operating in microgravity, which enables longer interaction times and correspondingly improved measurement sensitivities.

NASA emphasized the mission’s scientific and strategic importance:  

This instrument aboard a dedicated satellite in low Earth orbit will be the first quantum sensor capable of measuring Earth’s gravitational field and its gradients—critical signals used today to monitor mass dynamics on the planet’s surface,” said JPL representatives. “The mission advances U.S. leadership in quantum space sensing and opens new pathways for climate science and resource monitoring.

With more than $20 million in contracted funding and a planned launch around 2030, the QGGPf mission is expected to revolutionize how scientists track climate change, groundwater depletion, ice sheet dynamics, and tectonic activity. It also positions the U.S. at the forefront of quantum-enabled Earth science and national security applications.