Spinoff story

Super-Accurate Atomic Clocks Could Aid in Navigation, Communication

A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.

About this technology

Overview

Measuring time accurately is crucial for advanced scientific research, but it could also be key for what comes next after GPS, as well as for synchronizing communications satellites. Sunnyvale, California-based AOSense Inc. is working on a portable, world-class atomic clock. Thanks to several SBIR contracts, mostly from Goddard Space Flight Center, the company has built components, including a laser-cooled atomic source, that are already selling to researchers, helping fund other advances needed to complete the clocks.