CASPA: Cold Atom Space Payload

量子技术的新发展导致了使用激光将原子冷却到接近绝对零度的能力。在这样的温度下，实验室实验表明，这些“冷原子”可以用作测量重力的超灵敏传感器。CASPA将把英国领先的科学转化为太空和其他市场的商业产品。它将把这项技术带出实验室，并将其建成一个能够在太空中产生“冷原子”的小型卫星有效载荷。在太空中展示这项新技术是实现能够绘制地球表面重力强度微小变化的真正仪器的关键的第一步。“冷原子”传感器带来的极高灵敏度将提供精确监测地球系统内质量运动的能力。它有多种应用，包括更精确地监测极地冰块、洋流和海平面的变化。更高分辨率的数据将使人们能够监测目前无法探测到的较小的水源和新的地下自然资源。类似的技术也将用于深空导航，并在太空中提供更高精度的授时源。

New developments in Quantum Technology have resulted in the ability to cool atoms close to absolute zero using lasers. At these temperatures, laboratory experiments have shown that these "cold atoms" can be used as ultra-sensitive sensors for measuring gravity. CASPA will translate leading UK science into commercial products for space and other markets. It will take the technology out of the laboratory and build it into a small satellite payload that is capable of producing "cold atoms" in space. Demonstrating this new technology in space is a vital first step towards realising real instruments that are capable of mapping tiny changes in the strength of gravity across the surface of the earth. The extreme sensitivity brought by "cold atom" sensors will provide the ability to finely monitor the movement of mass within earth systems. This has multiple applications including more accurate monitoring of changes in polar ice mass, ocean currents and sea level. Higher resolution data will lead to the ability to monitor smaller water sources and new underground natural resources which are currently not detectable. Similar technology will also be used for deep space navigation and for providing higher precision timing sources in space.