ESA - Human Spaceflight and Exploration - Challenging Einstein on the ISS: ACES takes a step ahead

Our vision

Current missions

Past missions

Mars500 MagISStra Node-3 & Cupola Expert Alissé OasISS Columbus Esperia Celsius Astrolab Eneide DELTA Cervantes Odissea Marco Polo Andromède STS-100

Multimedia

Video Multimedia gallery RSS feeds

Resources

Experiment archive Press Releases

Services

Calendar Subscribe

Article Images

Challenging Einstein on the ISS: ACES takes a step ahead

20 July 2010

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES QT (Size: 57 845 KB)

HI-RES WM (Size: 53 015 KB)

HI-RES MP4 (Size: 51 833 KB)

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1028 kb)

Columbus module with ACES containing PHARAO and Space H-Maser

Credits: ESA - D. Ducros

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1169 kb)

Schematic of ACES containing PHARAO and Space H-Maser.
An atomic clock in space will allow a new kind of Earth research: relativistic geodesy. A radio signal from the surface of a planet climbs 'uphill' through the gravitational field (out of a gravity well), so when it is received by an observer in a weaker gravitational field its wavelength is seen to be longer, as predicted by Einstein's theory of relativity. Measuring this change in wavelength can be used to map the gravity of our planet. These measurements require a timekeeper of almost unimaginable accuracy – such as ACES.

Credits: ESA - D. Ducros

High-profile mission for small companies

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 605 kb)

The €35 million contract for the full development of the ISS payload ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) was signed on Friday 16 July 2010 by Simonetta Di Pippo, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight, Alain Charmeau, CEO of Astrium Space Transportation, and Michael Menking, Director of Orbital Systems at Astrium Space Transportations.

Credits: ESA - A. Le Floc'h

Back to article

Download:

HI-RES JPEG (Size: 568 kb)

ACES will contribute to evolutions of the global navigation satellite network and support the use of precision clocks in major Earth science activities.

Columbus

Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES)PHARAO atomic clock agreement signed by ESA and CNES