Delft Circuits flexes with NASA’s Bicep telescope selection

Dutch quantum I/O specialist Delft Circuits has been selected by NASA to join its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and take part in its Antarctic project “Background imaging of cosmic extragalactic polarization” (Bicep). With the project ongoing for several years now, JPL scientists are seeking hardware upgrades to increase its telescope’s sensitivity and dig deeper into the cosmos to learn about the origins of the universe. To do this, NASA will rely on the Delft-based startup for its expertise in cabling technology that can balance the stringent space, thermal and electronic requirements needed to enable large-scale quantum systems.

As part of the upgrade, NASA’s JPL will utilize Delft Circuits’ Crioflex multi-channel and RF cryogenic I/O cables inside the Bicep Array telescope as they’re more durable and flexible compared to alternatives. This provides users the opportunity to design and test multiple prototypes in their process while reusing the cables over and over for each different iteration. This feat hadn’t been possible before and will provide significant value to users both in terms of cost and setup time.

“I was very happy to find Delft Circuits, which was able to meet our stringent requirements for transmitting microwave frequencies, flexibility and cryogenic performance in a single cable. This makes my work considerably easier,” says Lorenzo Minutolo of Caltech and NASA’s JPL affiliate. “The cables perform well and remain flexible at any temperature. This is beneficial for us because they make it much simpler to assemble the hardware we need for this Antarctica upgrade. We can therefore devote more time and resources to other aspects of the experiment, which helps us reach our objectives faster and at a reduced expense.”