What is the atomic clock of deep space and its uses?

science and technology

NASA will send a new technology to space on June 22 that will change how the spacecraft is moved and also affect the mission of astronauts to Mars and beyond. It is the deep space atomic clock built by the pay laboratory NASA's Jet in Pasadena, California.

According to the scientific site "phys", this clock is a technological development that will help the spacecraft to move independently through deep space, where the instrument will be tested in Earth orbit for a year, to prepare for future missions to other worlds.

We provide background information that you need to know about NASA's Deep Space Space Clock:

Atomic clock of deep space

– Works like GPS in space

The Atomic Clock of Deep Space is a collection of atomic clocks that interact with it every day on your smartphone. Atomic clocks on the satellite enable the GPS application of your phone to reach point A to point B by calculating where you are on the ground, based on The time it takes to move from satellite to your phone.

But the spacecraft does not have GPS to help it find its way into deep space, but instead, traffic teams rely on atomic clocks on the ground to determine location data.

The farther away from Earth, the longer the atomic clock of deep space is the first atomic clock designed to fly on a spacecraft beyond Earth's orbit, which greatly improves the process and guides it to its position simply as GPS works on Earth.

– Helps the spacecraft to move independently

Today, we are traveling in deep space using giant Antenna antennas on Earth to send signals to the spacecraft, which sends these signals to Earth. Atomic clocks on Earth measure the time it takes for a two-way trip.

Only then can human navigation on Earth use large antennas to tell the spacecraft where and where to go, but if we want humans to explore the solar system, we need a better and faster way for astronauts to board their spacecraft to find their place, ideally without having to send Signal to the ground.

The atomic clock of deep space on a spacecraft would allow it to receive a signal from the ground and locate it immediately using the on-board navigation system independently.

– Only lose one second in 9 million years

An incredibly accurate atomic clock should be used for this type of movement. The hour that is stopped may be one second. Loss of mileage from the road, but during the tests the atomic clock of the deep space proved that it was 50 times more stable than the atomic clocks. GPS satellites. If the mission can prove this stability in space, it will be one of the most accurate clocks in the universe, losing one second every 9 million years.

– will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket

The space clock is flying on the Orbital Test Bed, which is called the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with about 20 other satellites from government, military and research institutions.

The launch will take place on June 22, 2019, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.