Signal DARPA Awards IonQ Up to $58M to Manufacture Next-Generation GPS-Free Optical Atomic Clocks

Summary

DARPA announced a $28 million contract extension to IonQ, with an additional $30 million option (total up to $58 million), under its newly launched 'It's About Time' program to manufacture 125 compact 'Evergreen-05' optical atomic clocks for US government customers. The shoebox-sized, 5-liter clock delivers timing stability of 50 femtoseconds at one second and projected error of less than one second over 30 million years, intended for mission-critical uses including radar, secure communications, and precision geolocation without relying on GPS. IonQ will invest $15 million of its own capital to build dedicated production facilities targeted for operation by mid-2027. Separately, IonQ's subsidiary Capella secured a contract with the National Reconnaissance Office for synthetic aperture radar imagery and data services. The underlying clock technology traces to DARPA-funded research at startup Vector Atomic, which IonQ acquired in October 2025.