Space-borne Bose–Einstein condensation for precision interferometry

Owing to the low-gravity conditions in space, space-borne
laboratories enable experiments with extended free-fall times.
Because Bose–Einstein condensates have an extremely low expansion
energy, space-borne atom interferometers based on Bose–Einstein
condensation have the potential to have much greater sensitivity to
inertial forces than do similar ground-based interferometers. On
23 January 2017, as part of the sounding-rocket mission MAIUS-
1, we created Bose–Einstein condensates in space and conducted
110 experiments central to matter-wave interferometry, including
laser cooling and trapping of atoms in the presence of the large
accelerations experienced during launch. Here we report on
experiments conducted during the six minutes of in-space flight
in which we studied the phase transition from a thermal ensemble
to a Bose–Einstein condensate and the collective dynamics of the
resulting condensate. Our results provide insights into conducting
cold-atom experiments in space, such as precision interferometry,
and pave the way to miniaturizing cold-atom and photon-based
quantum information concepts for satellite-based implementation.
In addition, space-borne Bose–Einstein condensation opens up the
possibility of quantum gas experiments in low-gravity conditions1,2.