Infleqtion, a global leader in quantum sensing and quantum computing powered by neutral-atom technology, announced its role as a collaborator on NASA’s Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf) mission. Led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the mission will fly the first quantum sensor capable of measuring the Earth's gravitational field and its gradients; signals that are used today to monitor mass dynamics on the planet's surface. The quantum instrument will be aboard a dedicated satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO). This program follows Infleqtion’s announcement to go public through a merger with Churchill Capital Corp X.
The QGGPf mission is designed to demonstrate quantum sensor technologies that could transform how Earth’s gravity is measured from space. 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. As a technology pathfinder, the mission will help inform the design of future science-grade instruments, representing a major step forward in U.S. leadership in space-based quantum sensing and strategic intelligence.
This project showcases what is possible when NASA and U.S. industry collaborate to push the boundaries of frontier science and technology. QGGPf builds on NASA’s long legacy of space-based gravity mapping and applies Infleqtion’s quantum engineering capabilities to enable a new class of measurement techniques designed specifically for the microgravity environment of space. With more than $20 million in contracted mission funding to date, the QGGPf mission, with contributions from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Texas at Austin, Infleqtion, Monarch Quantum, and Jemba9, will fly the first standalone quantum gravity sensor in orbit.
“Quantum sensing opens an entirely new domain for U.S. space leadership,” said Dana Anderson, Chief Science Officer at Infleqtion. “By deploying this technology in orbit, we are demonstrating the feasibility of quantum gravity sensing in space and laying the groundwork for future capabilities that can deliver unprecedented insight into our planet.” By directly measuring subtle variations in Earth’s gravitational field, the mission aims to demonstrate technologies that will help reduce risk for future quantum gravity instruments. These future systems could enable higher-resolution insights into how underground water, ice, and natural resources shift over time, critical data for understanding planetary health, strengthening national resilience, and supporting long-term economic and security planning. The one-year mission is expected to launch in 2030.
QGGPf builds on work done by JPL and Infleqtion on the Cold Atom Lab (CAL) program aboard the International Space Station, and on NASA’s long heritage of mapping Earth’s gravitational field through the GRACE mission series. Infleqtion’s role on the QGGPf project includes the design, maturation, and integration of the quantum core of the sensor, encompassing its vacuum, laser, and control subsystems. The cold-atom system, based on ultracold rubidium atoms cooled to near absolute zero, is designed to enable direct gravity gradient measurements from space with unprecedented precision.
The mission further marks a significant milestone in America’s growing quantum ecosystem, showcasing how public–private relationships can accelerate the transition from fundamental research to operational capability. Beyond Earth science, quantum sensing in space will enable advances in navigation, resource management, and national security, where precision and autonomy are critical. NASA and Infleqtion plan to complete the instrument hardware development over the next three years, followed by flight demonstration.
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