Cold Atom Lab Upgraded Aboard ISS

On May 8, 2026, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir performed critical hardware upgrades on the Cold Atom Lab (CAL) aboard the International Space Station. The upgrades involved installing optical fibers and other components essential to the facility's quantum research.

"CAL cools atoms to temperatures below -459°F (-273.15°C), approaching absolute zero, to create Bose-Einstein condensates."

Background

CAL is a physics facility about the size of a minifridge, operated remotely from Earth. It cools atoms to temperatures below -459°F (-273.15°C), approaching absolute zero, to create Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs).

BECs are a state of matter distinct from solids, liquids, gases, and plasma, allowing observable quantum properties at macroscopic scales. This unique environment enables scientists to study fundamental quantum phenomena that are impossible to observe under normal conditions on Earth.

Management

The Cold Atom Lab is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory designing, building, and operating the facility. The project is sponsored by the Biological and Physical Sciences division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.