[time-nuts] Atomic clock on ISS

[Arnold Tibus]

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:03:30 -0800, Jeff Mock wrote:

>Today's astronomy picture of the day says that future experiments in the 
>new ISS Columbus laboratory include an atomic clock to measure miniscule 
>  timing effects:

>    http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080219.html

>Does anyone know somthing about the sort of clock they're going to put 
>in the new lab?  Presumably they'll also need a way to do time transfer 
>and make precise timing measurements.  If I lived on a space station I 
>would demand an atomic clock.

>jeff
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Jeff,

sure you mean 'ACES' and 'PHARAO' the projected oscillator system in space.
If you search for 'ACES' Atomic Clock project in the internet, you will find 
a lot of freely available details.

Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space, ACES, an ESA mission, is an ultra-stable 
laser cooled Caesium atomic clock that will be placed on the International 
Space Station ISS and operated in the microgravity environment.

Quote:
"Specific applications in atomic time scales will be developed based on the 
ACES provided capability to compare primary frequency standards with a 
frequency resolution at the level of 10-17, synchronise ground clocks 
at 100 ps level and contribute to international time scales."

Look for details at e.g. 'ACES Fact Sheet'
http://www.skolelinux.es/trac/wiki/Clock
and the document 'Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES)' 
http://www.spaceflight.esa.int/users/downloads/factsheets/fs031_10_aces.pdf
'ACES Mission: Scientific Objectives and Applications'
http://www.congrex.nl/07A06/abstracts/CXNL_07A06_new.htm
Of interest as well:
http://www.metrologiefrancaise.com/en/research-topics/time-frequency.asp

Have fun,
regards
Arnold, DK2WT