The session offered a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of quantum sensing technologies, highlighting their disruptive potential, ongoing research, and the road towards space readiness.

The discussion underscored several important insights:

1️⃣ Quantum sensors are a disruptive technology that outperform classical sensors by offering enhanced stability, accuracy and sensitivity, even in challenging environments.

2️⃣ Quantum gravimeters can be employed for both static measurements and gravity mapping, supporting vital applications in environmental monitoring and climate science.

3️⃣ Laboratory-developed quantum gravimeters have already achieved high performance suitable for industrial deployment, though research continues to drive further innovation and optimisation.

4️⃣ Cold atom experiments in space have been successfully demonstrated, yet quantum accelerometers, a key focus of the CARIOQA project, are still progressing towards technological maturity.

The lively Q&A session provided further insights into the current maturity and momentum of the field:

• Quantum sensors now represent a mature and rapidly advancing technology, supported by an active community across academia, industry and space agencies.

• Quantum gravimeters are proven, field-deployable instruments, offering absolute measurements that are becoming essential tools for geoscientists.

• Challenges remain, notably improving performance, robustness and compactness to expand application domains. Strong R&D efforts — in both laboratories and industry — are fuelling rapid progress and promoting technology transfer across Europe.

• Space missions such as CARIOQA act as catalysts for collaboration, bringing together Europe’s scientific and industrial communities to accelerate the development of operational quantum sensors for space applications.

CARIOQA-PMP extends its warm thanks to Vincent Menoret, Franck Pereira and Christian Schubert, who served as expert panellists, and to Celia Pelluet for moderating the discussion.

The full recording of CARIOQA-PMP Expert Talks Webinar #1 is available here