Physics, Instrumentation and Sensing
Cold atom devices
Cold atoms and space
Quantum Mechanics for Space
This study, entrusted to Onera by the European Space Agency, aims to find applications of quantum technologies for space, and in return to study possible quantum mechanics test missions in space. The work consists in bringing together the various ideas proposed by the research institutes on sub-contract to Onera (Syrte, Iota, Iotech, University of Strathclyde , IQO Hamburg, Astrium) and proposing missions to ESA.
ICE project
This project has been proposed to the CNES by Iota, Syrte and Onera. It involves making a matter wave interferometer with two atomic elements: potassium and rubidium. This interferometer would measure any difference of acceleration between these two elements in freefall. This is a test of the equivalency principle at the microscopic level. To increase the interaction time, and thereby the measurement sensitivity, we plan to carry out this experiment in the CNES’s 0g Airbus.
