Türkiye’s atomic clock begins orbital testing

ANKARA

Türkiye’s domestically developed rubidium atomic clock has reached low-Earth orbit aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-17 mission, with the spacecraft carrying it transmitting its first signal, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said.

The Falcon 9 mission was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 7, according to SpaceX.

Known as the Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard, or RAFS, the clock is intended for the regional positioning and timing system included among the objectives of Türkiye’s National Space Program.

Atomic clocks use the fixed resonance frequency of atoms to measure time with high precision. The technology is essential for satellite navigation, communications and other systems requiring accurate synchronization.

The project is led by the Turkish Space Agency, with TÜBİTAK’s National Metrology Institute serving as the main contractor. TÜBİTAK UZAY and İTÜNOVA also contributed.

The clock is installed aboard a 6U CubeSat and will be tested under actual space conditions before potential use in future positioning satellites.

The tests will also provide data for communications infrastructure, navigation applications and scientific missions.

“Until now, this critical technology has been procured from abroad,” Kacır said.

He said successful orbital validation would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and provide engineering and operational experience for Türkiye’s future satellite projects.