Clock synchronization experiments performed via the ATS-1 and ATS-3 satellites.

Clock synchronization experiments were carried out May 10 to June 10, 1971, via the ATS-1 and ATS-3 geostationary satellites between the NASA tracking stations at Rosman, N.C., and Mojave, Calif., in order to determine the offset and the relative drift rate between the two station clocks. Pulses at C band with very sharp risetime and of 10 microsec duration were exchanged by the two stations through the dual transponders of the satellites. At each station, a time-interval counter was started by the transmitted pulse and stopped by the pulse received via satellite from the other station. The probable error of the clock offset as measured by the counter is 10 msec. A very long baseline interferometer experiment was also performed between the two stations at the same time and provided independent clock-offset data to check the accuracy of the time-synchronization experiment.