{"id":61545,"date":"2021-06-30T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-472168"},"modified":"2023-09-19T18:58:26","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T22:58:26","slug":"deep-space-atomic-clock-moves-toward-increased-spacecraft-autonomy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/deep-space-atomic-clock-moves-toward-increased-spacecraft-autonomy\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Space Atomic Clock Moves Toward Increased Spacecraft Autonomy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1041\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?w=1041\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Illustration of NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=768,431 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=1024,574 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=400,224 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?resize=900,505 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock has been operating aboard the General Atomics Orbital Test Bed satellite since June 2019. This illustration shows the spacecraft in Earth orbit.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Designed to improve navigation for robotic explorers and the operation of GPS satellites, the technology demonstration reports a significant milestone. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spacecraft that venture beyond our Moon rely on communication with ground stations on Earth to figure out where they are and where they\u2019re going. NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock is working toward giving those far-flung explorers more autonomy when navigating. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-021-03571-7\" rel=\"noopener\">new paper<\/a> published today in the journal Nature, the mission reports progress in their work to improve the ability of space-based atomic clocks to measure time consistently over long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Known as stability, this feature also impacts the operation of GPS satellites that help people navigate on Earth, so this work also has the potential to increase the autonomy of next-generation GPS spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To calculate the trajectory of a distant spacecraft, engineers send signals from the spacecraft to Earth and back. They use refrigerator-size atomic clocks on the ground to log the timing of those signals, which is essential for precisely measuring the spacecraft\u2019s position. But for robots on Mars or more distant destinations, waiting for the signals to make the trip can quickly add up to tens of minutes or even hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If those spacecraft carried atomic clocks, they could calculate their own position and direction, but the clocks would have to be highly stable. GPS satellites carry atomic clocks to help us get to our destinations on Earth, but those clocks require updates several times a day to maintain the necessary level of stability. Deep space missions would require more stable space-based clocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Managed by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the Deep Space Atomic Clock has been operating aboard General Atomic\u2019s Orbital Test Bed spacecraft since June 2019. The new study reports that the mission team has set a new record for long-term atomic clock stability in space, reaching more than 10 times the stability of current space-based atomic clocks, including those on GPS satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock Could Be the Next Space GPS\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4GEeak4Vphs?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZoPT2VCxZJOF7Vg1VTNuGj4\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NASA has perfected new navigation technology that would make self-driving spacecraft and GPS beyond the Moon a reality. The Deep Space Atomic Clock is the first atomic clock small and stable enough to fly on a spacecraft beyond Earth’s orbit. As NASA works to put humans on Mars and the Moon, the clock\u2019s precise timekeeping will be key to these missions\u2019 success.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>When Every Nanosecond Counts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All atomic clocks have some degree of instability that leads to an offset in the clock\u2019s time versus the actual time. If not corrected, the offset, while miniscule, increases rapidly, and with spacecraft navigation, even a tiny offset could have drastic effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the key goals of the Deep Space Atomic Clock mission was to measure the clock\u2019s stability over longer and longer periods, to see how it changes with time. In the new paper, the team reports a level of stability that leads to a time deviation of less than four nanoseconds after more than 20 days of operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs a general rule, an uncertainty of one nanosecond in time corresponds to a distance uncertainty of about one foot,\u201d said Eric Burt, an atomic clock physicist for the mission at JPL and co-author of the new paper. \u201cSome GPS clocks must be updated several times a day to maintain this level of stability, and that means GPS is highly dependent on communication with the ground. The Deep Space Atomic Clock pushes this out to a week or more, thus potentially giving an application like GPS much more autonomy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1041\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?w=1041\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=300,175 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=768,449 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=1024,598 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=400,234 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=600,350 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pia24573-dsac-2-1041.jpg?resize=900,526 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock could revolutionize deep space navigation. One key requirement for the technology demonstration was a compact design. The complete hardware package is shown here and is only about 10 inches (25 centimeters) on each side.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The stability and subsequent time delay reported in the new paper is about five times better than what the team <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasa-extends-deep-space-atomic-clock-mission\" rel=\"noopener\">reported in the spring of 2020<\/a>. This does not represent an improvement in the clock itself, but in the team\u2019s measurement of the clock\u2019s stability. Longer operating periods and almost a full year of additional data made it possible to improve the precision of their measurement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Deep Space Atomic Clock mission will conclude in August, but NASA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/nasa-selects-2-missions-to-study-lost-habitable-world-of-venus\" rel=\"noopener\">announced<\/a> that work on this technology continues: the Deep Space Atomic Clock-2, an improved version of the cutting-edge timekeeper, will fly on the VERITAS (short for Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) mission to Venus. Like its predecessor, the new space clock is a technology demonstration, meaning its goal is to advance in-space capabilities by developing instruments, hardware, software, or the like that doesn\u2019t currently exist. Built by JPL and funded by NASA\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), the ultra-precise clock signal generated with this technology could help enable autonomous spacecraft navigation and enhance radio science observations on future missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNASA\u2019s selection of Deep Space Atomic Clock-2 on VERITAS speaks to this technology\u2019s promise,\u201d said Todd Ely, Deep Space Atomic Clock principal investigator and project manager at JPL. \u201cOn VERITAS, we aim to put this next generation space clock through its paces and demonstrate its potential for deep space navigation and science.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More About the Mission<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Deep Space Atomic Clock is hosted on a spacecraft provided by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems of Englewood, Colorado. It is sponsored by STMD\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/tdm\/main\/index.html\">Technology Demonstration Missions program<\/a> located at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/index.html\">Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program<\/a> within NASA\u2019s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. JPL manages the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Calla Cofield<br><\/strong> Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.<br> 626-808-2469<br> <a href=\"mailto:calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov\">calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2021-132<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Designed to improve navigation for robotic explorers and the operation of GPS satellites, the technology demonstration reports a significant milestone. Spacecraft that venture beyond our Moon rely on communication with ground stations on Earth to figure out where they are and where they\u2019re going. NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock is working toward giving those far-flung [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":62387,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2860,3205,3315,2661,2788],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[8605,8612],"coauthors":[12651],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Deep Space Atomic Clock Moves Toward Increased Spacecraft Autonomy","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/deep-space-atomic-clock-moves-toward-increased-spacecraft-autonomy\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/deep-space-atomic-clock-moves-toward-increased-spacecraft-autonomy\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jet Propulsion Laboratory"}],"creator":["Jet Propulsion Laboratory"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Technology Demonstration","Jet Propulsion Laboratory","Deep Space Atomic Clock","Space Communications & Navigation Program","Technology"],"dateCreated":"2021-06-30T17:30:00Z","datePublished":"2021-06-30T17:30:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-19T22:58:26Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Deep Space Atomic Clock Moves Toward Increased Spacecraft Autonomy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/jpl\/deep-space-atomic-clock-moves-toward-increased-spacecraft-autonomy\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2021-06-30T17:30:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Technology Demonstration,Jet Propulsion Laboratory,Deep Space Atomic Clock,Space Communications & Navigation Program,Technology\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Jet Propulsion Laboratory\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":5,"time_ago":"3 years","featured_image":{"id":62387,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041.jpg","title":"deep-space-atomic-clock-1-1041","alt":"Illustration of NASA\u2019s Deep Space Atomic Clock","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61545"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61545"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":511820,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61545\/revisions\/511820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61545"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=61545"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=61545"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=61545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}