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The atomic clock in deep space will allow future spacecraft to be autonomous while they explore distant worlds of the Earth. The technology will go into orbit next week aboard the Falcon Heavy for its first test in space. ( General Atomic Electromagnetic Systems )
NASA is about to test a technology that could one day help astronauts navigate and communicate in far-flung spaces without much assistance from the Earth.
Later this month, the atomic clock of deep space will be launched aboard the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. The ultra-precise technology, which is about the size of a toaster, will be placed in low Earth orbit for a year to see if it will be able to help spacecraft locate themselves.
Navigate in space
NASA spacecraft currently exploring the depths of space rely on land-based navigators to tell them where they are and where they need to go. Since the atomic clocks of GPS satellites are not precise enough to send directions, NASA's navigators use giant antennas on Earth to communicate with a spacecraft.
However, spacecraft sent further into space will face long delays between orders. Mariners must calculate the time it takes for the signal to arrive on Earth to determine the location of the spacecraft and then tell it the next step. Depending on the distance between the planets, the delay can take from a few minutes to several hours.
While this works, the current navigation method poses a problem for future crewed missions on another planet.
"Having a clock on board would allow on-board radio navigation and, coupled with optical navigation, would provide astronauts with a more accurate and secure way to navigate themselves," said Todd Ely, the lead investigator Atomic clock in the deep space.
Revolutionize spaceflight
The atomic clock in deep space is the first GPS-like technology, small enough and stable to be used on a spacecraft. The antennas of the Deep Space network could also emit a single signal in space, communicating with several missions at once, instead of having to ping each spacecraft, one after the other.
NASA said that someday, several spacecraft with embedded technology could gravitate around Mars, creating a network that can provide guidance to rovers and humans on the surface of the red planet.
"The atomic clock in deep space will have the ability to aid navigation, not only locally but also on other planets," said Eric Burt, head of development of the Ionic clock.
The next Falcon Heavy mission is scheduled for Monday, June 24th. It will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center of NASA in Florida.
If the atomic clock in deep space, if it succeeds, can fly in a mission in the 2030s.
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