Simulating spaceborne high-precision optical clocks and their potential for measuring relativistic gravity

Highly precise optical clocks are advancing rapidly and hold the promise of enabling gravity measurements with unprecedented accuracy, particularly through the deployment of spaceborne clocks on satellites. Satellite mission simulations need to improve their accuracy alongside, in order to be able to thoroughly plan such satellite missions and interpret measurements correctly. Therefore, we develop a clock model for our simulation tool that incorporates even small relativistic effects as well as calculations of the clock’s uncertainty due to thermal perturbations. We use these models and our satellite simulator VENQS to study the potentials of future generations of optical clocks, their precision and ability to detect very small relativistic effects like the gravitomagnetic clock effect. We also study their potential use for future relativistic geodesy satellite missions. This talk will present the current state of our research.