This year’s programme will address a wide range of topics, including space geodesy and gravimetry, Earth observation, remote sensing, instrumentation and quantum sensors.

On 17 November, among the various presentations scheduled, Félix Perosanz from CNES will deliver a presentation entitled “CARIOQA : le premier accéléromètre quantique dans l’espace” (CARIOQA: The First Quantum Accelerometer in Space). The presentation will take place from 16:30 to 16:50 in the IPGP Amphitheatre, as part of the session “Mesure du champ de pesanteur” (Gravity Field Measurement).

This will be followed by a presentation from Yanis Abdelmoumni-Prunes (Laboratoire Temps Espace), entitled “Simulation of atom interferometry in space for the CARIOQA mission”, from 16:50 to 17:10.

Together, these presentations will provide an opportunity to showcase the CARIOQA mission, highlighting its technological innovations and the potential of atom interferometry for advancing space-based gravity measurements.

Learn more about the event

This week-long programme will bring together key players from the regional space ecosystem, highlighting career opportunities, technological innovation, New Space, deeptech and emerging technologies.

Several discussions will directly address challenges closely aligned with the objectives of the CARIOQA project, such as the exploitation of data generated by satellites and Earth observation systems, as well as the growing strategic importance of quantum technologies for Europe’s technological sovereignty, particularly their potential to strengthen Europe’s autonomy, competitiveness and leadership in advanced space technologies.

Learn more about the different sessions. 

In this webinar we explored gravity mission applications for geosciences, highlighting their potential in understanding the dynamics of the Earth system . The discussion underscored several important insights:

1. The current state of the art in space gravimetry was reviewed, including missions like CHAMP, GOCE, GRACE, and GRACE-FO, which have provided crucial data over the last 25 years to observe the static and time-varying gravity field, including continental water storage, ice sheet mass loss, global ocean mass changes, as well as internal process during all phases of seismic cycle.

2. Gravity field information can be considered as a mirror of the Earth’s surface and deep interior mass distribution. Indeed, the satellite gravity data can detect anomalous gravity gradient changes occurring months before major earthquakes, such as the period leading up to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.

3. Satellite accelerometers are used to separate non-gravitational forces such as atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure. An accelerometer placed precisely at the satellite’s center of mass measures everything except gravity. It is then possible to isolate the non-gravitational forces and deduce the gravitational field from an analysis of the satellite’s trajectory. Compared to conventional systems, future space-based quantum CAI sensors are expected to overcome technological bottlenecks of the current electrostatic accelerometers. These instruments will be essential for meeting the scientific requirements of future gravity field models.

CARIOQA-PMP extends its warm thanks to Jürgen Müller (LUH), Isabelle Panet (IGN / Université Paris Cité), and Jean-Michel Lemoine (CNES), who served as expert panelists, and to Félix Perosanz (CNES) for moderating the discussion.

Missed the webinar or want to revisit the key insights? Watch the full replay on the CARIOQA-PMP project’s YouTube channel :

Learn more by watching the video. 

Although the video is not directly related to the CARIOQA mission, it provides an excellent introduction to the scientific challenges underpinning its objectives. Through practical examples, it illustrates how precise measurements of the Earth’s gravitational field can help us better understand our planet, including changes in water distribution, ice mass and sea levels.

These real-world applications help put CARIOQA’s ambitions into perspective. By developing quantum technologies for highly precise gravity measurements, the mission aims to contribute to the advancement of future gravimetry and Earth observation capabilities.

Discover the video:

For this final session, leading experts will explore the current state and future advances of Gravity Space Missions, with a particular focus on Geosciences applications.

Isabelle Panet, Research Director, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, IGN, Université Paris Cité

Jean-Michel Lemoine, Space Geodesy Service Engineer, CNES

Jürgen Müller, Prof., Executive Director of the Institute of Geodesy, Leibniz Universität Hannover

The third webinar in the series will take place online on 06 October 2026, 16:30 France Time. Physical attendance to the webinar at CNES Toulouse is restricted to consortium partners and internal staff only.

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1995625455458?aff=oddtdtcreator

Registered participants will receive a Zoom link prior to the event.

In this second edition, we explore a recent scientific article authored by members of the CARIOQA mission consortium, focusing on how the CARIOQA Quantum Pathfinder Mission could contribute to space weather research and improve future satellite gravimetry.

The study investigates the performance of CARIOQA’s quantum accelerometer through computer simulations of two possible orbital configurations: a 500 km circular orbit and an elliptical orbit ranging from 400 to 700 km. These simulations assess the forces acting on the satellite, including atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure, to evaluate whether the instrument can operate reliably in space and achieve the sensitivity required to measure non-gravitational accelerations.

Discover the full results of the study and learn more about the potential of CARIOQA’s quantum accelerometer by reading our latest factsheet!

She explains how effective communication can help bridge the gap between scientific research and wider audiences, while ensuring that project results are better understood and shared.

Dimitra also highlights the role that communication can play in addressing the gender gap in the space and scientific sectors, which remain largely male-dominated. Through inclusive communication and the promotion of diverse role models, European projects can contribute to encouraging greater participation of women in science and space-related fields.