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Lt. Gen. Schiess discusses critical role of CIC, JCO commercial capabilities at 40th Space SymposiumBy Space Force
During the Space Foundation’s 40th Space Symposium, U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess, U.S. Space Forces – Space commander and Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander, participated in a one-on-one discussion with U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David Buck.
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By NASA
Researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, private companies, and academic institutions are developing the first space-based quantum sensor for measuring gravity. Supported by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), this mission will mark a first for quantum sensing and will pave the way for groundbreaking observations of everything from petroleum reserves to global supplies of fresh water.
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. Image Credit: NASA Earth’s gravitational field is dynamic, changing each day as geologic processes redistribute mass across our planet’s surface. The greater the mass, the greater the gravity.
You wouldn’t notice these subtle changes in gravity as you go about your day, but with sensitive tools called gravity gradiometers, scientists can map the nuances of Earth’s gravitational field and correlate them to subterranean features like aquifers and mineral deposits. These gravity maps are essential for navigation, resource management, and national security.
“We could determine the mass of the Himalayas using atoms,” said Jason Hyon, chief technologist for Earth Science at JPL and director of JPL’s Quantum Space Innovation Center. Hyon and colleagues laid out the concepts behind their Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf) instrument in a recent paper in EPJ Quantum Technology.
Gravity gradiometers track how fast an object in one location falls compared to an object falling just a short distance away. The difference in acceleration between these two free-falling objects, also known as test masses, corresponds to differences in gravitational strength. Test masses fall faster where gravity is stronger.
QGGPf will use two clouds of ultra-cold rubidium atoms as test masses. Cooled to a temperature near absolute zero, the particles in these clouds behave like waves. The quantum gravity gradiometer will measure the difference in acceleration between these matter waves to locate gravitational anomalies.
Using clouds of ultra-cold atoms as test masses is ideal for ensuring that space-based gravity measurements remain accurate over long periods of time, explained Sheng-wey Chiow, an experimental physicist at JPL. “With atoms, I can guarantee that every measurement will be the same. We are less sensitive to environmental effects.”
Using atoms as test masses also makes it possible to measure gravity with a compact instrument aboard a single spacecraft. QGGPf will be around 0.3 cubic yards (0.25 cubic meters) in volume and weigh only about 275 pounds (125 kilograms), smaller and lighter than traditional space-based gravity instruments.
Quantum sensors also have the potential for increased sensitivity. By some estimates, a science-grade quantum gravity gradiometer instrument could be as much as ten times more sensitive at measuring gravity than classical sensors.
The main purpose of this technology validation mission, scheduled to launch near the end of the decade, will be to test a collection of novel technologies for manipulating interactions between light and matter at the atomic scale.
“No one has tried to fly one of these instruments yet,” said Ben Stray, a postdoctoral researcher at JPL. “We need to fly it so that we can figure out how well it will operate, and that will allow us to not only advance the quantum gravity gradiometer, but also quantum technology in general.”
This technology development project involves significant collaborations between NASA and small businesses. The team at JPL is working with AOSense and Infleqtion to advance the sensor head technology, while NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland is working with Vector Atomic to advance the laser optical system.
Ultimately, the innovations achieved during this pathfinder mission could enhance our ability to study Earth, and our ability to understand distant planets and the role gravity plays in shaping the cosmos. “The QGGPf instrument will lead to planetary science applications and fundamental physics applications,” said Hyon.
To learn more about ESTO visit: https://esto.nasa.gov
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Last Updated Apr 15, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Contact Gage Taylor gage.taylor@nasa.gov Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Science-enabling Technology Earth Science Technology Office Technology Highlights Explore More
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By Space Force
At the 40th Space Symposium, STARCOM leaders emphasized how the Space Force is developing officer, enlisted and civilian Guardians to build a combat-ready force.
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By NASA
NASA’s SpaceX 32nd commercial resupply services mission, scheduled to lift off from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in April, is heading to the International Space Station with experiments that include research on whether plant DNA responses in space correlate to human aging and disease, and measuring the precise effects of gravity on time.
Discover more details about the two experiments’ potential impacts on space exploration and how they can enhance life on Earth:
“Second Guessing” Time in Space
As outlined in Einstein’s general theory of relativity, how we experience the passage of time is influenced by gravity. However, there is strong evidence to believe this theory may not be complete and that there are unknown forces at play. These new physics effects may manifest themselves in small deviations from Einstein’s prediction.
The ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) investigation is an ESA (European Space Agency) mission that aims to help answer fundamental physics questions. By comparing a highly precise atomic clock in space with numerous ground atomic clocks around the world, ACES could take global time synchronization and clock comparison experiments to new heights.
Sponsored by NASA, United States scientists are participating in the mission in various ways, including contributing ground station reference clocks. Scheduled to collect data for 30 months, this vast network of precise clocks is expected to provide fresh insights into the exact relationship between gravity and time, set new limits for unknown forces, and improve global time synchronization.
In addition to investigating the laws of physics, ACES will enable new terrestrial applications such as relativistic geodesy, which involves measuring Earth’s shape and gravitational field with extreme precision. These advancements are critical to space navigation, satellite operations, and GPS systems. For example, without understanding the time fluctuations between Earth and medium Earth orbit, GPS would be progressively less accurate.
A robotic arm will attach ACES to the Columbus Laboratory module aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of ESA Probing Plants for Properties to Protect DNA
The APEX-12 (Advanced Plant EXperiment-12) investigation will test the hypothesis that induction of telomerase activity in space protects plant DNA molecules from damage elicited by cellular stress evoked by the combined spaceflight stressors experienced by seedlings grown aboard the space station. It is expected that results will lead to a better understanding of differences between human and plant telomere behavior in space.
Data on telomerase activity in plants could be leveraged not only to develop therapies for age-related diseases in space and on Earth, but also for ensuring food crops are more resilient to spaceflight stress.
Telomeres and telomerase influence cell division and cell death, two processes crucial to understanding aging in humans. Telomeres are the protective end caps of chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres shorten slightly, essentially acting as a biological clock for cell aging. Conversely, telomerase is an enzyme that adds nucleotide sequences to the ends of telomeres, lengthening them and counteracting their shortening.
In humans, telomere shortening is linked to various age-related conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. In astronauts, studies have shown that spaceflight leads to changes in telomere length, with a notable lengthening observed. This phenomenon carries potential implications for astronaut health outcomes. By contrast, plant telomere length did not change during spaceflight, despite a dramatic increase in telomerase activity.
A microscopic image of plant telomeres taken under a fluorescent microscope. The chromosomes are highlighted in blue. The telomeres are highlighted in yellow. Image courtesy of Texas A&M University How this benefits space exploration: Experiments aboard NASA’s SpaceX CRS-32 mission is twofold. One, they have the potential to significantly enhance precision timekeeping, which is necessary to improve space navigation and communication. Two, they can provide insights into how plants adapt to protect DNA molecules from cellular stress caused by environmental factors experienced in spaceflight, in an effort to sustain plant life in space.
How this benefits humanity: The experiments conducted on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-32 mission offer a range of potential benefits to humanity. First, improving precision timekeeping for more accurate GPS technology. Second, capturing data about how telomerase activity correlates to cellular stress in plants, which could lead to assays which better correlate telomerase activity and cellular stress and provide fundamental research to contribute to potential therapies for humans.
Learn more about the investigations:
ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space)
Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission that aims to help answer fundamental physics questions.
APEX-12 (Advanced Plant EXperiment-12)
Advanced Plant EXperiment-12 (APEX-12) will test the hypothesis that induction of telomerase, a protein complex, activity in space protects plant DNA molecules from damage elicited by cellular stress evoked by the combined spaceflight stressors experienced by seedlings grown aboard the space station.
About BPS
NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division pioneers scientific discovery and enables exploration by using space environments to conduct investigations not possible on Earth. Studying biological and physical phenomenon under extreme conditions allows researchers to advance the fundamental scientific knowledge required to go farther and stay longer in space, while also benefitting life on Earth.
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By NASA
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Why do we grow plants in space?
Plants are such versatile organisms that they can fulfill many roles in our exploration of space. Plants provide us with food, with oxygen, they can recycle water and waste, and they can even provide us with psychological benefits. So all these functions will help NASA in fulfilling our goal of trying to create a sustainable environment for human presence in space.
But there are also other benefits. We can investigate how plants adapt to the novel environment of space, something that’s completely outside their evolutionary history. We can develop new processes and technologies to cultivate plants in difficult and even extreme environments. All these lessons learned will help us in ultimately improving the lives of humans here on Earth by being able to better cultivate plants.
So why do we grow plants in space? To be able to create a sustainable environment for us to thrive in space, as well as improve lives and agricultural techniques here on Earth.
[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
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Last Updated Apr 15, 2025 Related Terms
General Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) Biological & Physical Sciences International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research Plant Biology Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Space Biology Space Biology Program Explore More
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