Testing General Relativity with the ACES Mission

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the relativistic frequency shifts affecting atomic clocks on the ISS to support the ACES mission, leveraging advanced clocks with unprecedented precision.

Contribution

It provides detailed calculations of relativistic effects on atomic clocks in space, aiding the preparation of high-precision space-based timekeeping experiments.

Findings

Relativistic frequency shifts are significant at the $10^{-18}$ uncertainty level.

Calculations enable better calibration of space-based atomic clocks.

Supports the development of precise tests of General Relativity in space.

Abstract

The new generation of atomic clocks will reach unprecedented uncertainties in frequency of $10^{-18}$. In order to prepare space missions such as ACES, we compute all relativistic frequency shifts detectable during this mission in the case of a clock aboard the International Space Station.