The space clock PHARAO: functioning and expected performances

Author

Laurent, Ph ; Clairon, A. ; Lemonde, P. ; Santarelli, G. ; Salomon, C. ; Sirmain, C. ; Picard, F. ; Delaroche, Christophe ; Grosjean, O. ; Saccocci, M. ; Chaubet, M. ; Guillier, L. ; Abadie, J.

Author_Institution

BNM-SYRTE, Paris, France

fYear

2003

fDate

4-8 May 2003

Firstpage

179

Lastpage

184

Abstract

The cold atom space clock PHARAO is one of the ultra-stable atomic clocks of the ESA supported ACES mission. ACES will fly on an external pallet of the European module Columbus of the International space station between mid 2006 and the end of 2007. The goal of PHARAO is the study and utilization of a laser cooled cesium clock in microgravity environment. The French space agency, CNES, is funding and managing the clock construction with the support of the BNM-SYRTE and LKB laboratories for the clock requirements and follow-up of subsystem development in industrial companies. The clock sub-systems have been designed and the engineering models will be delivered in 2003 to the CNES technical center, in Toulouse, where the clock will be assembled, tested and evaluated. In this paper, we present the PHARAO performances in term of frequency stability and accuracy and the technical solutions developed to reach these performances.

Keywords

atomic clocks; caesium; laser cooling; zero gravity experiments; ACES mission; Cs; French space agency; clock subsystem; frequency stability; laser cooled cesium clock; microgravity; space clock; ultrastable atomic clock; Aerospace industry; Assembly; Atomic clocks; Construction industry; Design engineering; International Space Station; Laboratories; Laser modes; Space missions; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Frequency Control Symposium and PDA Exhibition Jointly with the 17th European Frequency and Time Forum, 2003. Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE International

ISSN

1075-6787

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7688-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/FREQ.2003.1275084

Filename

1275084