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Spacecraft Tests of General RelativityCurrent spacecraft tests of general relativity depend on coherent radio tracking referred to atomic frequency standards at the ground stations. This paper addresses the possibility of improved tests using essentially the current system, but with the added possibility of a space-borne atomic clock. Outside of the obvious measurement of the gravitational frequency shift of the spacecraft clock, a successor to the suborbital flight of a Scout D rocket in 1976 (GP-A Project), other metric tests would benefit most directly by a possible improved sensitivity for the reduced coherent data. For purposes of illustration, two possible missions are discussed. The first is a highly eccentric Earth orbiter, and the second a solar-conjunction experiment to measure the Shapiro time delay using coherent Doppler data instead of the conventional ranging modulation.
Document ID
19980009729
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Anderson, John D.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Proceedings of the Workshop on the Scientific Applications of Clocks in Space
Subject Category
Thermodynamics And Statistical Physics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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