Rubidium Pulsed Optically Pumped Clock for Navigation Satellites

Paper number

IAC-19,B2,4,2,x49912

Author

Mr. Enrico Suetta, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mr. Alessandro Chierici, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mrs. Marina Gioia, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mr. Adalberto Sapia, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mr. Romano Romani, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mr. Pier Giorgio Arpesi, Italy, Leonardo Spa

Coauthor

Mr. Nicholas Marzoli, Italy, Positech c/o Leonardo

Coauthor

Mr. Alberto Tuozzi, Italy, ASI - Italian Space Agency

Coauthor

Mr. Marco Belloni, The Netherlands, ESA

Coauthor

Dr. Salvatore Micalizio, Italy, INRIM

Coauthor

Dr. Filippo Levi, Italy, INRIM

Coauthor

Dr. Jacopo Belfi, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Claudio Eligio Calosso, Italy, INRIM

Coauthor

Dr. Michele Gozzelino, Italy, INRIM

Year

2019

Abstract

Leonardo in collaboration with INRIM is developing a space grade industrialized version of the Rubidium POP atomic clock, that will address future GNSS satellite constellations needs. In the frame of ESA General Support Technology Program (GSTP), the Physics Package of this novel atomic clock has beed designed, built and tested. We present the advancement status of the development program.
Reliable space qualified atomic clocks with reduced mass and power consumption and high frequency stability will be a fundamental asset for the future Global Navigation Satellite Systems as well as in other applications including satellite communications and deep space navigation.
In these respects the Rubidium Pulsed Optically Pumped (Rb POP) clock is considered a promising candidate since it is, in all the above aspects, outperforming the Passive Hydrogen Maser (PHM), presently the most stable clock flying on navigation satellites.
In the Rb POP frequency standard a laser beam resonant with the \begin{math}^8^7Rb\end{math}  \begin{math}  D_2 \end{math} line at 780.2 nm is transmitted through a Rb vapor cell placed inside a microwave cavity resonating at the ground state hyperfine frequency splitting of Rubidium at 6834 MHz. Clock oscillation frequency is frequency locked to the center of the Ramsey fringe pattern observed in the optical absorption after a proper sequence of optical and microwave pulses. This interrogation technique makes it possible to reduce to a negligible level the light shift induced instabilities, because optical and microwave pulses are never simultaneously applied to the atomic vapor.
Actual measured performances of the Rb POP atomic clock Physics Package will be presented and discussed in the paper, as well the future plans toward In Orbit Demonstration.

Abstract document

IAC-19,B2,4,2,x49912.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

(absent)