Ground Testing of a Chip-Scale Atomic Clock for MAXWELL CubeSat Flight Experiment

This paper provides an overview of a flight experiment to observe the performance of a chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) on a LEO cubesat. The results of this experiment will provide the basis for a realistic evaluation of the utility of the CSAC to support onboard position, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications for small satellites. The paper focuses on the goals and outcomes of ground testing performed on a CSAC in preparation for flight onboard the UNP-9 cubesat mission MAXWELL. The ground testing includes live sky testing, RF/GNSS simulator testing, and electromagnetic field testing