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APL's Time and Frequency Laboratory (T&F Lab) is one
of 55 laboratories worldwide that contribute to the formulation of International
Atomic Time which is computed at the Bureau International des Poids et Measures
(BIPM) in Paris France. Precise time and frequency signals from the Lab's ensemble
of atomic clocks are also distributed to the APL mission operations center (MOC)
that controls a number of APL spacecraft. The signals are also distributed throughout
the APL campus in support of critical operations. Traceability to the U.S. Naval
Observatory (USNO), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
and the BIPM is maintained via the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites.
The T&F Lab facilities are currently undergoing upgrades
and until the new facilities are complete, the timekeeping operations are supported
by the following hardware:
- Three Hydrogen Masers
- Three Agilent 5071A Cesium Beam Frequency Standards
- 5MHz measurement system
- 1PPS measurement system
- Time code generators (UTC and local time)
- 1MHz, 5MHz, 10MHz distribution systems
- Three GPS time transfer receivers
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