South Australian company QuantX Labs is set to launch a key sub-system of their next-generation optical atomic clock technology into space later this year.
As part of a collaborative project with French space logistics company Exotrail, a component of QuantX Labs’ TEMPO atomic clock – the Optical Frequency Comb – will be launched aboard Exotrail’s spacevan™ vehicle during an upcoming KAIROS mission.
The sub-system is a cutting-edge tool that unlocks a range of space applications, including high-performance timing, deep-space communications, navigation, positioning and synchronised Earth observations.
QuantX Labs’ Managing Director, Professor Andre Luiten, said the launch represents a breakthrough for the company’s TEMPO technology.
“We have managed to deliver this outcome in much less time and at much less cost than is traditional. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and excited to see Australia take a leading role in space-based precision timing,” he said.
Backed by a $3.7 million grant from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative, QuantX’s demonstration will be the first time that an optical frequency comb has been launched into orbit, positioning Australia as a leader in space-based precision timing and navigation.
The launch of TEMPO’s ultra-precise timing capability also aims to lay the foundations for an Australian sovereign solution as well as an alternate to current GPS and similar networks.
A team from QuantX Labs will travel to France this month to collaborate with Exotrail on further testing and integration of the module onboard spacevan™.
