Researchers at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have created a new navigation tool called the Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer. Based on a patented method using cold atom beams, this device aims to improve Naval navigation systems by reducing drift.
Inertial navigation is a technique that relies on accelerometers and gyroscopes to track an object’s position and orientation from a known starting point. Quantum inertial navigation is a new area of study promising significantly higher measurement accuracy.
“By operating with cold, continuous atoms, we have opened the door to a number of advantages as well as novel measurement techniques. Ultimately, we would like to use this technology to improve inertial navigation systems, thus reducing our reliance on GPS,” said Jonathan Kwolek, research physicist from the NRL Quantum Optics Section.
Thanks to the unique properties of the atom source, the Continuous 3D-Cooled Atom Beam Interferometer shows promising measurement capabilities such as high contrast, low noise, and better adaptation to different environments.
Improving accuracy and mission durations
This technology could help the Navy navigate even when GPS signals are unavailable, improving accuracy. Errors in location estimation tend to build up over time, leading to inaccurate position information.
For instance, current inertial navigation systems can accumulate errors of about 1 nautical mile over 360 hours. NRL aims to develop new technologies to extend this time, ensuring navigational drift does not restrict mission durations.
“The field of inertial navigation aims to provide navigation information anywhere GPS is unavailable. The advent of atom interferometry allows for a novel approach in inertial sensing, which has the potential to address some of the deficiencies in current state-of-the-art technologies,” said Gerald Borsuk, associate director of Research for Systems at NRL.
Advancing Navy navigation beyond GPS
GPS has become essential for both civilian and military operations, offering precise global positioning and timing data. However, there are situations, like underwater or in space, where GPS doesn’t work. Additionally, threats like jamming, spoofing, and anti-satellite warfare pose risks to GPS availability.
“In an ideal world, we hedge against loss of conventional navigation by making the best inertial navigators we can. This is to ensure that a loss of GPS doesn’t allow our ships to become lost in the middle of enemy territory,” Kwolek pointed out.
With a constellation of 32 satellites orbiting Earth, GPS delivers precise navigation and timing data to users worldwide. However, despite its development over many years, the Navy still relies on optimized inertial navigation systems to reduce GPS dependence.
“In the modern era, NRL is one of several research organizations addressing naval inertial navigation challenges. The lab is taking advantage of advanced atomic and optical techniques to invent new architectures for inertial measurement that promise accurate navigation of dynamic Navy platforms,” said Adam Black, head of the NRL Quantum Optics Section.
