SA65 Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC)

The number and variety of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space applications for small satellites is growing rapidly, with commercial, scientific and defense payloads.  Their applications—such as alternative PNT, optical time transfer, inter-satellite communications, RF geolocation, earth observation and interferometry—all require low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) precision timing solutions. Microchip’s space Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC) was the industry’s first commercially available radiation-tolerant CSAC, delivering the accuracy and stability of atomic clock technology with significant SWaP reductions. Now, a new version of the space CSAC is available, featuring an expanded operating temperature range and enhanced tolerance to Total Ionizing Dose (TID) radiation, making it even more robust and reliable for the most demanding space environments. Importantly, this new CSAC is a drop-in replacement for the first-generation space CSAC, allowing existing designs to seamlessly upgrade and benefit from improved environmental resilience and mission flexibility without redesigning hardware or software.