STE-QUEST: An M-class Cold Atom mission to probe gravity, dark matter and quantum mechanics
The purpose of this online-only workshop is to discuss the science opportunities offered by STE-QUEST, an initiative for a medium-sized satellite mission, whose Phase 1 proposal was recently submitted in response to the call for a Medium-size and a Fast mission opportunity in ESA's Science Programme.
STE-QUEST, with its dual-species atom interferometer operating over tens of seconds, will address some of the most fundamental and puzzling questions of physics as we know it today: gravity, dark matter and the foundations of quantum mechanics. It will do so by making use of advanced quantum sensors for ultimate precision. Thereby it will not only lead to unprecedented advances in science at the interface between general relativity and quantum mechanics, but also pave the way for quantum technologies in space, be it in fundamental physics, Earth observation, time-keeping, or navigation. It is an integral part of the wider community roadmap for cold atoms in space, recently co-authored by over 250 scientists worldwide.
The main science objectives of STE-QUEST include tests of the equivalence principle, searches for different types of Ultra-Light Dark Matter (ULDM) and tests of the foundations of quantum mechanics using ultra-cold atoms in quantum superposition states. With a sensitivity to equivalence principle violation of about three orders of magnitude beyond the best existing result obtained by the MICROSCOPE space mission in 2017, the STE-QUEST mission will enter new unexplored territory for all its major science goals. It will offer the possibility of major discoveries and advance significantly our knowledge about the validity of our best current theories and models at the most fundamental level.
This event will build on the Community Workshop for Cold Atoms in Space and bring together the cold atom, astrophysics, cosmology, fundamental physics, and Earth observation communities to discuss the outstanding science case and mission profile of STE-QUEST. The goal is to build a wider consortium supporting the STE-QUEST science case and the development of its mission concept.
