A sub-system payload of TEMPO, the compact optical atomic clock developed by QuantX Labs, is now in orbit following its 30 March launch aboard the SpaceX Transporter-16 mission with French space mobility company Exotrail’s Spacevan002. It is one of the most advanced Australian-built quantum technologies ever deployed in space.
2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program
The milestone pre-empted a defining two-week stretch for Australia’s quantum sector. World Quantum Day was marked on 14 April. The Albanese Government released the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program on 16 April, committing $425 billion over the decade with undersea warfare and resilient multi-orbit satellite communications ranked as the first and seventh priorities of the Integrated Investment Program. From Tuesday, more than 1,000 delegates will gather at the Adelaide Convention Centre for the Quantum Australia Conference 2026, themed Quantum for Impact.
TEMPO delivers up to ten times the performance of current GNSS-based timing systems. In space, that translates to more resilient communications, more accurate navigation and harder-to-disrupt synchronisation between satellites and ground systems – capabilities that matter when GPS is jammed, spoofed or unavailable.
The technologies built by QuantX Labs and developed in partnership with The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at Adelaide University, map directly onto two of the Government’s seven stated investment priorities.
Resilient satellite communications.
The Integrated Investment Program commits $9-$12 billion to enhanced space capabilities, with a rescoped focus on a resilient, multi-orbit Australian Defence Satellite Communications capability. Precision atomic clocks are foundational to keeping satellite constellations synchronised and communications secure under electronic attack and frequency combs are significant future technology for space communications. TEMPO’s presence in orbit is a working demonstration of that capability built in Australia.
Undersea warfare.
QuantX Labs is also developing SENTIO, an extremely sensitive quantum magnetometer capable of detecting objects underwater and underground.
The Integrated Investment Program lists an enhanced undersea warfare capability as its first priority, supported by a sovereign fleet of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines. Quantum magnetometry is one of the most promising emerging technologies that can detect submerged targets in GPS-denied environments without relying on traditional acoustic signatures.
Both sit inside a product suite that also includes CRYO clock, which has been developed for readiness into the $1.2 billion AIR2025 Phase 6 upgrade of the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN).
“Getting an Australian-built optical atomic clock subsystem into orbit is a moment we have been working towards for more than twenty years. It is proof that deep research done in Australia can end up on a SpaceX rocket in partnership with a European space company, delivering capability that matters to our customers and our country.
“The 2026 National Defence Strategy has put resilient communications and undersea warfare at the top of the priority list. Precision timing and quantum sensing are foundational to both. We are already building what the Strategy is asking for,” says Professor Andre Luiten, our Co-Founder and CEO.
“QuantX Labs is what research translation looks like when it works. Two decades of precision timing research, led by the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, has matured into a product now being primed to operate in orbit and lining up against the most urgent capability priorities in the National Defence Strategy.
“Adelaide University was built for moments like this. Sovereign capability is not an abstraction — it is students, postdocs and researchers working alongside world-class scientists, engineers and industry to get something out the lab and into space,” shares Professor Anton Middelberg, Deputy Vice Chancellor – Research and Innovation, Adelaide University.
Quantum Australia
World Quantum Day (14 April) marked the international recognition of quantum science and its growing role in defence, health, communications and computing. Two days later, the 2026 National Defence Strategy reframed quantum-relevant capabilities — resilient satcom, undersea warfare, counter-uncrewed systems, long-range strike — as immediate national priorities backed by an additional $53 billion over the decade.
The Quantum Australia Conference 2026 opens in Adelaide on 29 April with the theme Quantum for Impact, focused on how Australian quantum research is being turned into commercial products, sovereign capability and export revenue. The TEMPO launch is one of the clearest answers to that question the country has produced.
According to the 2024 State of Australian Quantum report, Australia’s Quantum sector has now attracted more than $1 billion in quantum research and commercialisation investment with a further $1 billion earmarked for critical technology and quantum companies through the National Reconstruction Fund. South Australia, with Adelaide University, Defence Trailblazer and the Lot Fourteen precinct, has positioned itself as a national hub for quantum timing, sensing and defence applications.
QuantX Labs has successfully launched its optical frequency comb into orbit, marking a major milestone in the development of the company’s TEMPO.Space optical atomic clock and bringing the world closer to the first fully operational optical atomic clock in space.
The optical frequency comb, a critical subsystem of QuantX’ s optical clock technology, was launched aboard Exotrail’s spacevan™ orbital transfer vehicle as part of QuantX’s KAIROS mission, hosted on a SpaceX launch. The mission will demonstrate the performance of the optical frequency comb in the space environment, providing critical validation for the next generation of ultra-precise space-based timing systems. QuantX Labs’ Chief Executive Officer, Professor Andre Luiten commented “Successfully demonstrating this technology in orbit represents a major step toward deploying the world’s first optical atomic clock in space.”
This initial launch with Exotrail will deliver critical in-orbit data to support an intended launch of the full TEMPO.Space optical atomic clock later this year. This initial mission will validate the performance of an optical frequency comb in space for the first time while also testing key elements of QuantX Labs’ satellite interface, including communications, mechanical, thermal and environmental systems. The mission marks an important milestone for the company, providing QuantX Labs with valuable space heritage that significantly reduces technical risk ahead of the next phase of the program.
Optical frequency combs are a Nobel Prize-winning technology that enable ultra-precise measurement of time and frequency. They are a core enabling technology for optical atomic clocks. The optical frequency comb acts as the critical bridge that translates the optical outputs of these new generation clocks into usable electronic timing signals, enabling end-users to exploit the extraordinary precision of optical atomic clocks. This in-orbit demonstration will provide valuable operational data as QuantX Labs prepares to launch the complete TEMPO.Space optical atomic clock, which will represent the first optical atomic clock ever deployed in orbit.
The Head of the Australia’s Space Agency, Enrico Palermo welcomed the mission as a significant step forward for Australia’s sovereign space capabilities “This optical frequency comb mission will take QuantX Labs a step closer to realising the full suite of capabilities it has been developing – which are designed to enhance the positioning, navigation, and timing services Australians depend on.”
Professor Luiten adding the launch marks a defining milestone for both the company and Australia’s growing leadership in advanced space technologies.
“This increased accuracy will support the next generation of positioning, navigation and timing systems, improving navigation resilience, enabling advanced space missions and supporting emerging technologies that rely on ultra-precise time synchronisation including synchronised Earth observation networks and advanced communications infrastructure.”
The mission forms part of the KAIROS program, supported by the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative, and delivered in collaboration with international partners, including Exotrail. Mr Palermo added “The Australian Space Agency is proud to have invested in the quantum clock technology developed by QuantX Labs, building on Australia’s rich heritage in quantum and accurate timing technologies” and that they “congratulate QuantX Labs on this next step in building space heritage on the path to launching its full optical atomic clock.” The KAIROS mission has been enabled through foundational contributions from SmartSat CRC and the University of Adelaide, with significant support from DST Group and Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA). Together, these contributions have strengthened the mission’s technical capabilities and underscore the coordinated national effort to advance Australia’s sovereign space technologies.
QuantX Labs engineers are now completing final environmental testing of the full TEMPO.Space optical atomic clock ahead of a planned launch later this year. Once deployed, the system will represent a global first, the first optical atomic clock operating in orbit.
About QuantX Labs: Established in 2016, QuantX Labs is a highly respected Australian company and a world-leader in high-precision timing and quantum sensor technologies.
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Lisa Paddick, Marketing and Communications Manager, lisa.paddick@quantxlabs.com
4 February 2026 – Defence Trailblazer, in partnership with QuantX Labs and Adelaide University, is excited to announce the successful completion of a collaborative research project that has delivered significant advances in optical clock technology and strengthened the pathway from university research to commercial, industry-ready solutions.
Building on more than four years of collaboration between QuantX and academics at the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at Adelaide University, the completed project has accelerated the transfer of world-leading research in precision timing from the laboratory to industry, supporting Australia’s sovereign capability in advanced quantum technologies. The project has enabled new optical clock technologies to be evaluated, matured and positioned for commercialisation.
Optical atomic clocks for sovereign communications and navigation
Defence and civilian critical infrastructure, including telecommunications, energy networks and financial systems, depend on precise and stable timing to operate safely and effectively. QuantX was established to help address the growing need for resilient timing and synchronisation solutions in environments where global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as GPS, are degraded, denied or spoofed. QuantX is working with its partners to evaluate resilient, alternate timing networks in the development of TEMPO, its next-generation optical atomic clock.
A key outcome of the project was the development and demonstration of new optical clock techniques that significantly advance the state of the art. Researchers investigated alternative optical clock architectures and enabling technologies with the potential to deliver order-of-magnitude improvements in stability, a critical step toward next-generation timing systems.
Dr Sebastian Ng, Head of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing at QuantX, said: “Through this collaboration, QuantX has been able to directly integrate cutting-edge university research into our technology roadmap. The project has reduced technical risk, informed key design decisions and strengthened our ability to commercialise next-generation optical clocks for both terrestrial and space applications.”
This work directly supports QuantX’ development of advanced quantum clocks, including future enhancements to its TEMPO clock platform. The project ensured that emerging optical clock technologies were assessed for performance, robustness and suitability for real-world deployment, bridging the gap between fundamental research and operational systems.
Building workforce capabilities with student opportunities
The project also delivered strong workforce and capability outcomes, including the successful contribution of Adelaide University PhD researcher Lachlan Pointon, whose work on novel optical clock techniques has expanded Australia’s expertise in precision timing.
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“Development of the next version of portable optical atomic clock is vital to Australia’s defence industry and critical infrastructure,” said Mr Pointon. “With QuantX Labs as an industry partner, I have gained valuable insights into the challenges and work undertaken in the private sector. It’s made me a better researcher.”
These outcomes reinforce the role of industry-embedded research training in developing highly skilled graduates who can contribute immediately to advanced technology sectors.
A foundation for future quantum technologies
This project demonstrates the value of a well-established translation pathway that connects Australia’s world-class research base with industry capability and market need. By aligning academic innovation with defence requirements and commercial delivery, this model provides a scalable foundation for future quantum technologies to be developed, manufactured and deployed from Australia – for Defence and broader national benefit.
“Defence Trailblazer is proud of the impact achieved by QuantX and its academic partners over the course of this collaborative project,” said Dr Margaret Law, General Manager – Technology Development & Acceleration. “It exemplifies how Australian ventures and university spin-outs are emerging as world leaders in quantum technology.”
About the Defence Trailblazer: Defence Trailblazer is a collaborative partnership between the University of Adelaide and UNSW supported by the Department of Education and over 200 industry partners and associates. Defence Trailblazer is dedicated to advancing Australia’s defence capabilities through innovative research and strategic partnerships. By collaborating with industry, academia, and government, we aim to develop and commercialise breakthrough technologies that address critical national security challenges.
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Ilsa Stuart, Senior Partnerships Manager, 0402 260 771 istuart@dtb.solutions
About QuantX Labs: Established in 2016, QuantX Labs is a highly respected Australian company and a world-leader in high-precision timing and quantum sensor technologies.
Contact Information: For media inquiries, please contact: Lisa Paddick, Marketing and Communications Manager, 0418 393 996 lisa.paddick@quantxlabs.com
QuantX Labs to Launch Pioneering Optical Atomic Clock Technology into Space
QuantX Labs, a world-leader in precision timing and quantum sensor technologies, is gearing up for a major milestone in Australian space technology, as it prepares to launch its leading-edge technology into space. In concert with French space logistics company Exotrail, QuantX will launch a key component of its atomic clock technology, TEMPO, hosted on the spacevan™ vehicle departing on a SpaceX mission in December 2025 at the earliest.
With the support of a $3.7 million grant from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative, QuantX Labs will launch a key sub-system of their next-generation optical atomic clock. This investment reflects the Agency’s strong focus, foresight, and belief in the Australian space industry, fostering sovereign capabilities that will position Australia as a leader in space-based precision timing and navigation.
This key subsystem, termed an Optical Frequency Comb, is a cutting-edge tool that unlocks a myriad range of space applications beyond high-performance timing including deep-space communications, navigation, positioning, and synchronised Earth observations. Optical combs were first invented at the turn of the century and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2005 because of their potential broad-ranging impact. QuantX’s demonstration will be the first time that an optical frequency comb has been launched into orbit. Our comb has already completed rigorous environmental tests, including the need to survive the extreme conditions during launch. This included operation over the punishing temperature variations expected in space, vacuum exposure, extreme vibration and acceleration, as well as radiation levels beyond that expected over its full mission lifetime.
High-precision timing in space is already a valuable resource underpinning the satellite-navigation systems (GPS and similar networks) that we all use every day in phones and cars. This first launch of TEMPO’s ultra-precise timing capability aims to lay the foundations for an Australian sovereign solution as well as an alternate to current GPS and similar networks.
QuantX Labs’ Managing Director, Professor Andre Luiten, highlighted the significance of the upcoming launch: “This launch represents not only a breakthrough for our TEMPO technology but also the culmination of countless hours of hard work by our engineers and physicists. We have managed to deliver this outcome in much less time and at much less cost than is traditional. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and excited to see Australia take a leading role in space-based precision timing.”
A team from QuantX Labs will travel to France this month to collaborate with Exotrail on further testing and integration of the module onboard spacevan™. These operations will be performed just south of Paris, at Exotrail’s HQ facilities, before shipping the vehicle with the QuantX payload onboard, to the U.S. launch site. This one-year in-space mission will be the second conducted by Exotrail with its spacevan™, after their successful demonstration flight launched end 2023 and still operating for customers in orbit.
QuantX Labs’ PNT Program Lead, Dr. Sebastian Ng, emphasised the importance of this launch, “the launch of the Frequency Comb is a critical milestone for the KAIROS mission, as the enabling technology for LEO optical clocks. Its successful deployment will provide valuable insights as we progress towards the full clock payload. With this technology paving the way for next-generation positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities, our team will continue with the development and integration of the complete TEMPO system, ensuring it is ready for future space missions.
The successful deployment of the Frequency Comb in space will mark a groundbreaking achievement for both QuantX Labs and Australia’s growing space sector. As the KAIROS mission moves toward launch, this collaboration with Exotrail underscores the strength of international partnerships in advancing cutting-edge technologies. With Exotrail’s proven expertise in in-space mobility solutions and a track record of successful missions, this launch will not only demonstrate TEMPO’s potential but also solidify Australia’s position as a leader in space-based precision timing.
Read the online article here:
Defence Industry and Capability Delivery – Hon Pat Conroy MP – media release
September 2024
QuantX Labs, an Australian medium-sized company proudly announces the landmark first sales of its state-of-the-art optical atomic clocks. The company recently signed two contracts with Commonwealth of Australia represented by Department of Defence totalling over $2.7 million.
QuantX Labs is developing precision timing and sensing technologies at Adelaide’s Innovation precinct, Lot Fourteen. Although still in limited release, these first atomic clocks mark a significant leap forward for the company and the broadening of their suite of precision timing products.
The state-of-the-art portable optical atomic clocks are the culmination of over 7 years of research and development, initially at the Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) at The University of Adelaide. This will be the second product that QuantX Labs has successfully translated out of IPAS, with this proven translation pathway also responsible for their flagship product, the Cryoclock, which delivers the world’s most pure output signals for use in Radar. The Cryoclock is on a path for inclusion into Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) over the next few years.
Managing Director, and Co-Founder of QuantX Labs, Professor Andre Luiten said “I am very proud to have been part of this second outstanding example of technology transfer. Here we see leading-edge research translated into a globally-leading product through a deep and motivated collaboration between university researchers and industry. Sadly, while Australia is at the forefront of global research, it is a laggard when it comes to translating that capability into industry impact. Here we have found the magic recipe to drive this critical need, which is creating jobs, economic wealth and an improved wellbeing of our society.”
Supporting Australian Defence Force requirements, QuantX will deliver a mobile precision timing test bed for Defence Systems to DSTG Edinburgh. The testbed, due for delivery in early 2025, can be used to test and evaluate sensors, communication, and navigation systems to determine operational resilience in a GPS-degraded scenario.
QuantX will also deliver optical atomic clocks under AUKUS Pillar II by the end of 2024, enabling AUKUS partners to develop advanced precision navigation and timing capabilities.
Initial testing of these first article optical clocks is showing almost an order of magnitude improvement on the performance of the current microwave atomic clocks used in today’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
This same optical clock technology is being developed further at QuantX, with a clock satellite payload undergoing rigorous space-environment testing under the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars program and is scheduled to be launched in 2025. The direct goal of that project is to make the first step towards an Australian capability in space timing. A side effect of the intense effort to ensure space compatibility is a future variant of the clock with even higher robustness and smaller size and power consumption.
QuantX Labs is thrilled to announce that it has secured $750,000 funding for an innovative research project aimed at revolutionizing a secured position, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability for defence applications. The project, titled “Quantum-Secured Time Transfer for Resilient PNT,” will receive support from Department of Defence, paving the way for cutting-edge advancements in PNT security.
Access to trusted position, navigation, and timing information is of paramount importance for defence operations. Current PNT signals, such as those provided by the Global Positioning System (GPS), are vulnerable to covert spoofing, where malicious actors can transmit false information to disrupt military activities without detection. The “Quantum-Secured Time Transfer for Resilient PNT” project seeks to address this critical issue by harnessing quantum technology to guarantee the authenticity of received PNT data, making spoofing impossible.
This groundbreaking research project builds upon the success of a previous grant from the Defence Innovation Partnership grant, which brought together experts from the University of Adelaide, QuantX Labs, and the Defence Science and Technology Group. The new project encompasses several crucial objectives including demonstration of quantum-secured time transfer using entangled photons, development of a classical two-way time transfer across a free-space link, and investigating the impact of loss and turbulence on both time transfer methods.
Additionally, a critical objective of this research will be to synchronize two Cryoclocks. These oscillators, QuantX’s flagship product, are renowned as the world’s most precise clocks and are being used as the driving sources for critical radar facilities. The need for synchronisation between multiple radar sites is a key challenge for new radar architectures.
The project will culminate in a demonstration of quantum-secured time transfer over a free space optical link. This will be used to synchronize small Chip Scale Atomic Clocks that are suited for drone and satellite deployment. This approach will allow us to transfer the performance of a very high-quality ground clock onto these portable platforms. This achievement will mark a significant advancement in defence technology, providing unparalleled security and precision for PNT data.
A key partner in this work is Inovor Technologies who will assist in the eventual deployment of this technology onto a satellite. Inovor’s experience in space deployments, particularly in interfacing complex payloads into the space craft will be key to our demonstrator mission.
Dr. Martin O’Connor, General Manager at QuantX Labs, emphasized the project’s importance, stating, “Quantum-secured time transfer offers a new level of security and accuracy for defence operations. We are excited to embark on this research journey, which has the potential to safeguard our troops and assets in contested environments.”
This project aligns perfectly with QuantX Lab’s Kairos Mission a space-based clock that aims at an alternate and sovereign PNT solution for the nation. The company is already well underway to developing a next-generation atomic clock based on optical technology for applications in space. This ground-breaking high-performance clock delivers to a multitude of applications that are of high value to numerous space end-users. This optical atomic clock and quantum secured optical network, represents first steps towards a sovereign and secure alternate architecture for a GPS-like timing and position system.
For media enquiries, please contact: Lisa Paddick, Marketing and Communications Officer, lisa.paddick@quantxlabs.com, mobile: 0418 393 996
“RavensNest is a place where ideas take flight, and inventions are translated into capability”
One of South Australia’s fastest-growing deep-tech start-up companies, QuantX Labs, has today launched a breakthrough concept in Defence innovation.
QuantX has built a collaborative workspace named, RavensNest, that occupies the first floor of the Space_Lab building within Adelaide’s innovation precinct, Lot Fourteen. RavensNest was opened today by Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist Professor Tanya Monro and the South Australian Premier the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP.
This new facility, a capability accelerator, will super-charge South Australia’s defence innovation ecosystem by allowing defence companies to work hand-in-glove with defence researchers, University researchers and the Australian Defence Force. The environment is designed to ensure that transformative technologies will be fast-tracked from research through to sovereign capability, answering the most urgent problems for defence by harnessing complementarity between the partners as well as delivering focus, scale and a can-do culture.
RavensNest, is named for the intelligent and quick Australian raven, especially the way that they work closely co-operatively in a team to achieve more than could be achieved individually. This dynamic and collaborative precinct will provide the nurturing environment to ensure that ideas and inventions will take flight by drawing the best from all participants.
Currently housing staff from DST Group, Australia’s premier defence science arm, University of Adelaide researchers and QuantX Labs, we see this as the start of a very exciting development. We welcome like-minded partners and collaborators to join us on this journey.
RavensNest is aligned with the vision of the Defence Strategic Review and the new Australian Strategic Capability Accelerator, where industry and government share the risk associated with innovating new technologies.
Critically, over the longer term, all partners in RavensNest have a commitment to see the cutting-edge technologies developed within the facility will also find their way into civilian products making everyone’s lives better.