ACES Workshop 2024
Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space

European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, The Netherlands; 23 - 25 October 2024.

Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) is developing high performance clocks and links for space to test Einstein's theory of general relativity. From the International Space Station (ISS), the ACES payload will distribute a clock signal with fractional frequency instability and inaccuracy of 1x10^-16, thus establishing a global network to compare atomic clocks in space and on ground. 

In the fundamental physics domain, ACES will provide a measurement of Einstein's gravitational redshift, it will search for time variations of fundamental constants, and contribute to dark matter searches. Moreover, it will measure geopotential differences between the ground clocks connected through ACES, it will perform time transfer and clock synchronization experiments, and contribute to the study of atmospheric propagation delays.

ACES is approaching its launch date, which is planned for mid-February 2025. The flight models of the ACES clocks and link have been completed and are currently under test.The colloquium will bring together the scientific community to:

• Present the progress of ACES in all domains, from the instruments status to the data analysis and the mission scientific performance.

• Present the progress of atomic clocks and clock-based experiments for general relativity tests, time & frequency metrology, and geodesy applications.

• Discuss recent results from space-based experiments as well as new ideas and proposals on fundamental physics explorers in space.

• Encourage international collaborations between research institutes for the exploitation of ACES.