The space atomic clock project is extremely difficult and complex in many manned space projects in China. The project will set up a time-frequency laboratory in outer space to verify related scientific experiments that can not be completed on the surface of the Earth, such as Einstein's general theory of relativity. Scheduled to be launched in 2022, will use strontium optical clock, rubidium fountain clock, active atomic hydrogen atomic clock together to establish space atomic clock group. Active hydrogen clock as the core load, long-term continuous operation.
At that time, China will conduct time alignment in a broader space, and the high-accuracy and high-stability time-frequency signals generated by the system will enhance the Beidou navigation system's capability. After the project is realized, it is expected that the global positioning, punctuality and timing pattern will be generated Great impact.
Project leader Zhou Tiezhong introduced active hydrogen atomic clock can continuously output stability, high accuracy of the frequency signal, the current mature atomic clock products, the highest short-term targets, but previous applications in the volume and weight restrictions. 203 The product developed by this time adopts the storage loading and separation technology to realize the high reliability, miniaturization and process optimization of the cavity.The overall weight of the prototype is about 40 kilograms, and the volume is one fifth of the traditional product.