Europe’s ambitious space exploration strategy, Explore2040, is now actively incorporating the potential of quantum technologies for missions targeting Low Earth Orbit, the Moon, and Mars. While acknowledging that these technologies remain constrained by current limitations, the European Space Agency extended the deadline for submissions of ideas to April 26, 2026, indicating a proactive, long-term approach to identifying viable applications. Early space experiments demonstrate potential in areas like sensing and communication, but ESA emphasizes the need to strategically determine which quantum technologies offer the most value for future missions. The agency notes that rapid progress is visible, yet clear pathways toward integration into space missions are still emerging, making continuous monitoring and collaboration essential.
Explore2040 Strategy Drives Quantum Technology Assessment for Space
The agency is moving beyond theoretical possibilities to actively solicit concrete proposals for implementation, demonstrating a long-term commitment to harnessing quantum mechanics for spacefaring endeavors. This interest is driven by substantial global investment already fueling quantum technology development, with governments committing between US$40 and 50 billion worldwide to research and development. This financial impetus, coupled with projections of a multi-billion dollar market over the next decade, underscores the potential for rapid advancement. ESA recognizes that quantum computing could revolutionize optimization, simulation, and data analysis for mission planning, while quantum sensors promise ultra-precise measurements crucial for navigation and in-situ resource utilization. Quantum communication offers the potential to establish secure communication infrastructures for both spacecraft and ground segments, and quantum materials could unlock new levels of performance in areas like energy storage and shielding.
However, ESA acknowledges a significant gap between potential and practical application. The agency notes that a handful of early space experiments from both industry and academia indicate potential for the future, while still being constrained by current technological limitations, revealing a candid assessment of the current state of play. This effort isn’t focused on immediately deployable solutions, but rather a strategic effort to monitor the field’s evolution and identify areas where quantum technologies can meaningfully contribute to future exploration activities. The Software and AI team, within ESA’s Human & Robotic Exploration Future Preparation Group, is tasked with identifying and assessing the practical applicability of these emerging technologies. The current Call for Ideas aims to define how, when, and where quantum technologies will integrate into Europe’s exploration roadmap.
ESA is specifically seeking assessments of current technological performance, identification of priority mission applications, estimations of operational readiness timelines, and proposals for investment areas that can accelerate practical adoption. Submissions must clearly articulate the specific quantum advantage, how the proposed concept meaningfully outperforms or complements classical approaches, alongside a detailed exploration use-case relevant to missions targeting LEO, the Moon, or Mars. The agency is open to concepts across all technology readiness levels, from exploratory studies to early demonstrations, but emphasizes the need for a credible methodology. The agency’s approach extends beyond simply gathering ideas.
Selected contributors will be invited to a strategic workshop in Q2 2026 to co-develop a preliminary roadmap for quantum integration. The agency states that it hopes to provide a forum for exchange, alignment, and collaboration across disciplines, ensuring that a diverse set of perspectives informs ESA’s strategic direction, signaling a commitment to fostering a collaborative ecosystem between researchers, academia, and industry. This workshop represents a crucial step in transitioning from idea gathering to concrete capability development, ultimately aiming to build pathways for future integration and elevate collaboration within the space community.
US$40-50 Billion Global Investment Fuels Quantum R&D
Substantial global investment, ranging from US$40 to 50 billion, is currently driving rapid research and development in quantum technologies, signaling a widespread belief in their potential to reshape multiple industries, including space exploration. This financial impetus is manifesting in a growing number of experiments designed to test the feasibility of applying these technologies beyond the laboratory, though practical implementation remains a significant hurdle. The European Space Agency is actively seeking to understand how quantum technologies can best contribute to its Explore2040 strategy, a long-term vision encompassing human and robotic missions to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the Moon, and Mars. This proactive approach is evidenced by the submission deadline of April 26, 2026, highlighting a commitment to long-term planning even while the technology is still maturing. The agency isn’t solely focused on theoretical possibilities; it’s actively soliciting concrete proposals for how quantum technologies can enhance future missions.
Quantum computing, sensing, communication, and materials each offer unique advantages. Quantum computing, while still in its early stages, could revolutionize mission planning, robotics, and data analysis by tackling complex optimization and simulation challenges. Secure communication infrastructures, leveraging the principles of quantum communication, could safeguard spacecraft and ground segments from evolving cyber threats. Even quantum materials are under investigation, with the potential to dramatically improve energy storage, shielding, and instrumentation performance. However, the maturation rates of these technologies vary considerably. ESA notes that quantum communication and sensing have already demonstrated feasibility in controlled environments, while quantum computing and materials remain at an earlier stage, yet their long-term potential is extraordinary. ESA recognizes this uneven landscape and is strategically focusing on identifying which technologies offer the most near-term and long-term value for space applications. Ultimately, ESA hopes to foster collaboration between quantum researchers, academia, industry, and the broader space community, building pathways for future integration and ensuring a diverse range of perspectives informs its strategic direction.
We hope to provide a forum for exchange, alignment, and collaboration across disciplines, ensuring that a diverse set of perspectives informs ESA’s strategic direction.
Quantum Computing, Sensing, Communication, and Materials Applications
The agency’s interest isn’t limited to a single quantum application; rather, it encompasses the entire spectrum of emerging technologies, including computing, sensing, communication, and materials science, all within the framework of Explore2040, Europe’s long-term space exploration strategy. Beyond computation, quantum sensors promise ultra-precise measurements for navigation, planetary science, and in-situ resource utilisation, potentially enabling autonomous spacecraft and more efficient resource extraction on other worlds. However, ESA acknowledges an uneven pace of development across these different quantum domains. The agency emphasizes that the aim of this Call for Ideas is to identify key research areas in quantum technologies for space exploration, along with a clear justification for advancing this field, emphasizing the need for concrete, mission-relevant proposals. Submissions are being evaluated not only on technical merit but also on their potential impact. ESA is specifically looking for concepts that articulate the specific quantum advantage, i.e.
All submissions to this campaign will initially be evaluated based on following criteria and associated weighting: Understanding of Objectives (30%) How well does the idea align with Explore2040 (LEO, Moon, Mars)? Does it address a specific exploration use-case or mission challenge?
Call for Ideas Workshop to Define Quantum Integration Roadmap
The potential for quantum technologies to reshape space exploration is driving the European Space Agency to proactively solicit ideas from the scientific community, even as the technology remains largely unproven in operational contexts. ESA’s recently concluded Call for Ideas, with a submission deadline of April 26, 2026, seeks to define a clear integration roadmap for quantum applications spanning Low Earth Orbit, lunar missions, and ultimately, Mars exploration. This initiative isn’t simply a speculative exercise; it reflects a strategic response to a rapidly evolving field backed by significant global investment, estimated between US$40 and 50 billion worldwide. This candid assessment underscores the need for focused research and development to translate laboratory successes into robust, space-qualified systems. ESA isn’t merely interested in incremental improvements; it’s actively seeking concepts that demonstrate a specific quantum advantage, i.e. Ultimately, ESA aims to establish pathways for sustained collaboration between quantum researchers, academia, and industry, accelerating the integration of these transformative technologies into future space missions.
Governments have committed between US$40 to 50 billion globally to quantum-technology research and development, and the global quantum-technology market is projected to reach tens of billions of dollars over the next decade.
