ACES High
NPL's Time & Frequency group have received confirmation of funding approval from the UK Space Agency to apply to ESA for a microwave ground station which will receive signals from the planned Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) mission on the International Space Station.
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The ACES mission aims to acquire and exploit the highest quality timing data from Space. Subject to approval by ESA and its Member States, the funding will be used to install a space-to-ground link from the planned ACES atomic clock system aboard the International Space Station to NPL in Teddington, South West London, thus allowing an ultra-precision space-based timing signal to be made available to the UK's National Measurement Institute. The funding will also allow specialised hardware to be provided to distribute the signal to key research and application development users in the UK.
Announcing this and further funding for two other Space projects, David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science said: "This ambitious and forward-looking programme of investment will be vital for businesses and universities alike. It will improve research and manufacturing processes and reduce the time and money it takes to bring a product to market. This will drive growth and innovation across a whole range of sectors and ensure our leading institutions and companies are able to exploit the very latest technology."
Full BIS / UK Space Agency announcement
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Contact: Leon Lobo