NASA will send a new atomic clock into space. This will accelerate the launch of long-range space missions.

New atomic clock Deep Space Atomic Clock will allow guidance of space satellites to distant regions

Solar system. Deep Space Atomic Clock will increase the accuracy of measuring the position of the spacecraft and speed up the transmission of signals to it.

To determine the position of the spacecraftNow scientists send a signal to the atomic clock from the laboratory, which is reflected from them and returns to Earth. The signal moves at almost the speed of light, so scientists can accurately calculate the distance between the Earth and the launched space object.

Deep Space Atomic Clock allows you to automaticallycalculate the distance to distant space objects. With the help of this technology, humanity will be able to make autonomous space flights with a minimum number of commands that will be manually sent from Earth.

NASA notes that the more accurate it will bethe time of departure of the signal, the more accurately you can find out the location of the spacecraft. In Deep Space Atomic Clock, the reflection time of a signal is no more than one nanosecond for four days. To stabilize this frequency drift, the oscillator oscillations in these watches will use mercury ions.

Previously, "High Tech" talked about the technology of atomic clocks and the principle of their work.