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Session B2: Frontiers of GNSS 

Can Quantum Sensors Operate Efficiently in Harsh Environment and Challenging Conditions in Space?
Alireza Hosseiniarani, Arpetha C. Sreekantaiah, Benjamin Tennstedt, Xingchi He, Urs Hugentobler, and Steffen Schoen, Institute of Geodesy (IfE)
Location: Grand Ballroom GH
Date/Time: Tuesday, Apr. 29, 4:23 p.m.

Inertial navigation is an essential technology for space applications due to its independence from external signals and references Inertial navigation systems (INS) rely on accelerometers and gyroscopes to track changes in velocity and orientation, allowing spacecraft to determine their trajectories independently—assuming gravitational influences are well-known. While conventional accelerometers onboard space missions often suffer from a large drift in the frequency range below 10-3 Hz, quantum accelerometers offer highly stable, drift-free measurements of non-gravitational acceleration, enabling more precise orbital adjustments. Moreover, the microgravity environment in space allows quantum sensors to achieve significantly longer interrogation times and, consequently, far higher sensitivities compared to terrestrial applications, where gravity imposes practical constraints.
However, an open question is whether quantum sensors retain their advantages under the harsh and challenging conditions encountered in space. Do factors like low measurement rates and increased noise in such environments diminish their benefits over classical accelerometers? This paper seeks to address this question by exploring specific “harsh” scenarios, defined as follows:
• Rapid spacecraft attitude maneuvers.
• Complex maneuvers involving rotation around two body-frame axes.
• High-frequency vibrations from thruster firings.
• Unsteady motion from rotating parts, such as antennas or solar panels.
• Transitions between Earth shadow and full solar radiation pressure.
• In low Erath orbits, where the atmospheric drag gets relatively large values.
To investigate these conditions, we simulate a spacecraft in low Earth orbit experiencing both gravitational and non-gravitational accelerations, focusing on the outlined scenarios. We also develop an in-orbit performance model for Mach-Zehnder-type quantum accelerometers, accounting for detection noise, quantum projection noise, laser frequency noise, wavefront aberration, contrast loss, and environmental effects such as rotation and gravity gradients. Simulations of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer along the orbit trajectory are conducted based on this model.
We analyze the performance of multi-axis quantum sensors for inertial navigation under these challenging conditions, identifying scenarios in which quantum sensors retain efficiency and those where they may lose effectiveness. We discuss the technical limitations of current technology, potential solutions, and advancements that could enhance the resilience of quantum accelerometers in space applications.

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