Summary Points:
- • The 21-month contract will fund development of a new quantum magnetometer prototype optimized for Earth observation missions.
• The upgraded sensor offers sub-100 picotesla sensitivity, 400 Hz bandwidth, and 200 picotesla accuracy while maintaining compact size and weight.
• The award follows SBQuantum’s earlier ESA work and its selection as a finalist in the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s MagQuest Challenge.
SHERBROOKE, Quebec - SBQuantum, a company developing quantum diamond magnetometers capable of providing accurate magnetic field readings from space announced a new contract with the European Space Agency (ESA). Funded through ESA's FutureEO Program, the contract is valued at nearly $1 million and will see SBQuantum deliver a new prototype of its quantum magnetometer sensor optimized for Earth observation missions.
SBQuantum says the upgraded sensor will maintain its compact size and weight while providing improved sensitivity (below 100 picotesla), higher bandwidth (400 Hz), and greater accuracy (200 picotesla), meeting ESA’s mission requirements. The award follows a previous contract in which SBQuantum developed a custom magnetometer design for ESA. It also builds on the company’s success in the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s MagQuest Challenge, where SBQuantum is one of three finalists. The winning MagQuest technology will be used to monitor Earth’s magnetic field and its variations for decades to come.
"Securing this second contract with ESA is the latest in a series of strong signals from the market indicating the vast potential our quantum magnetometers offer as a sensor deployed in space," said David Roy-Guay, CEO and founder of SBQuantum. "The Earth and its ecosystem are evolving, and humankind needs to better monitor changes in ocean currents and temperatures, among many other transformations, so we can fully understand them, prepare, and adapt.
"A byproduct of demonstrating space readiness is that this doubles as a strong validation of terrestrial readiness for our hardware. By combining this highly accurate sensor with advanced interpretation algorithms, our Magnetic Intelligence product will also unlock novel security applications for an increasingly uncertain world. Our mission is to remain at the cutting edge of applied quantum sensing."
ESA invests approximately $700 million annually in research and development, accounting for about 8 percent of its total budget. Globally, governments provide an estimated $3.5 billion in direct funding each year to startups developing new space technologies.
