Belgian diamond-based quantum sensor to fly to the ISS in 2026
Belgium boosts its global space science profile with new collaborative project. A diamond-based quantum sensor, developed by Hasselt University, UCLouvain and the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), is shedding new light on how molecules behave in microgravity.
In late 2026, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Raphaël Liégeois will make his first flight to the International Space Station (ISS). He will bring along a cutting-edge, Belgian-developed quantum sensor based on diamond technology, bringing together physics and chemistry. This sensor will use an extremely small amount of matter to measure the behaviour of light-sensitive molecules in microgravity over a six-month period. This is crucial for better understanding the effects of weightlessness on humans or plants in space, especially as future missions may see humans venture further into space for longer periods. This research builds on previous technology from Hasselt University: the magnetometer, which mapped Earth's magnetic field for 10 months aboard the ISS in 2021.
With the magnetometer and quantum sensor, Belgium is solidifying its global standing in space research.