Citation
Abstract
JPL. has been operating two experimental hydrogen maser frequency standards at the Deep Space Network (DSN) stations at Goldstone, California, since 1970. Based on operating experience gained with these units and with a test bed maser system at JPL, a field-operable maser has been developed for use in the DSN. The first maser of this new design was installed at the DSN 64-meter station near Canberra, Australia, in December 1975. Second and third units are presently under construction for the remaining DSN 64-meter stations at Madrid, Spain, and Goldstone, California. While these DSN masers remain similar in basic configuration to the earlier experimental units, many design changes have been incorporated in both physics and electronics systems to effect improvements in the following areas: (1) short- and long-term frequency stability, (2) RF isolation of maser output lines, (3) lifetime of active physics components, (4) automatic fault detection and location, and (5) performance and reliability of the receiversynthesizer system. Frequency stability measurements of the DSS 43 maser, using an updated experimental maser as a reference, resulted in a fractional frequency stability of 3.8 X 10-/° long term (t = 90 seconds) and 1.1 X 10-13 short term (rt = 1 second).
Details
- Volume
- 42-40
- Published
- August 15, 1977
- Pages
- 76–83
- File Size
- 1.9 MB