All about NASA Deep Space Atomic Clock Mission.
                     All about 
NASA Deep 
Space 
Atomic Clock 
Mission
Introduction
• The Deep Space Atomic Clock, or DSAC, is a research demonstration of a lightweight, ultra-precise, 
mercury-ion atomic clock that will be launched into Earth's orbit to test its usefulness as a next-generation 
tool for navigation satellites, radio science and global positioning systems. 
• The technology is 50 times more accurate than today's best navigation clocks, and is intended to improve 
navigation of spacecraft to distant destinations and allow further data collection with better precision.
Source: Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory
What is Deep space Atomic Clock?
• The Deep Space Atomic Clock is an ultra-precise, miniaturized atomic mercury-ion clock for 
accurate radio navigation in deep space. It is more stable order of magnitude than existing 
navigation clocks and has been refined in 10 days to limit drift of no more than 1 nanosecond.
Source: Cosmos Magazine
Instruments
• Atomic clock: 
An atomic clock is a clock device that uses a hyperfine transition frequency in the microwave or 
transition frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum of atoms in the optical or ultraviolet region 
as a frequency standard for its timekeeping element.
Source: Times and Date
Works like GPS
The Deep Space Atomic Clock is a sibling of the atomic clocks on your smartphone where you 
communicate with every day. 
Atomic clocks aboard satellites allow the GPS application of your phone to get you from point A to 
point B by calculating where you are on Earth, based on the time it takes to travel the signal from 
the satellite to your phone.
Source: Vox
Autonomous Spacecraft Navigation
Unless we want humans to reach the solar system, the astronauts aboard a spaceship need a 
safer, easier way to learn where they are, preferably without having to transmit messages back to 
Earth. 
A Deep Space Atomic Clock on a spacecraft will allow it to receive a signal from Earth and to 
automatically determine its position through an onboard navigation system.
Source: NASA
Funny Fact
In 10 million years, it losses just 1 second. 
The difference between landing on Mars and missing it by miles could be a clock that is off by even a 
single second. The Deep Space Atomic Clock has proved up to 50 times more reliable in ground 
experiments than the atomic clocks on GPS satellites. 
If the project can show this space stability it would be one of the most reliable clocks in the 
universe.
Source: Space.com
Mercury Ions
An atomic clock uses atoms to help keep the quartz frequency measurements extremely accurate. 
The Deep Space Atomic Clock uses mercury ions that are trapped in electromagnetic traps-smaller 
than the volume usually present in two tuna fish containers. 
Controlling the ions using an internal system makes them less vulnerable to external forces.
Source: britanica
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
The Deep Space Atomic Clock will fly on the satellite of the Orbital Test Bed, which launches with 
about two dozen other satellites from government , military and research institutions on the 
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. 
The delivery is scheduled at 8:30pm on 22 June 2019. PDT from NASA's Florida Kennedy Space 
Center that will be live-streamed here:
Source: Quartz
Conclusion
The Deep Space Atomic Clock is hosted on a spacecraft from Englewood, Colorado, provided by 
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems. 
This is funded by the Technology Demonstration Projects program under NASA's Space Engineering 
Mission Directorate and under NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, 
Space Communications and Navigations division. The research is managed by JPL.
Source: Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Thank You