Precision timing is of vital importance to our modern society. Its most high-profile application is seen in daily use by most of the world’s population though Global Navigation Satellite Systems (e.g. GPS, Galileo), which generates trillions of dollars each year in economic benefits around the globe.

Other applications for precision timing are emerging within satellite constellations where highly accurate satellite position and timing information may be required. Such information is crucial for: intelligent space systems that aim to produce high-resolution monitoring of Earth by combining data from multiple low-resolution sensors, or next-generation GNSS and satellite communication constellations which are more immune to spoofing, offer higher accuracy, and could lead to a sovereign capability for Australia.

This project aims to demonstrate a next generation timing reference for spaced-based applications. The project will focus on design optimisation for small satellites (typically about 1m3, 100-200kg) as well as initiating an understanding of the trade-space between performance and SWaP for satellite clock designs.