Iridium-next master clock

Abstract

A high resolution, digitally tuned quartz oscillator with excellent phase noise and temperature stability has been developed for space applications and is being utilized in the Iridium NEXT constellation, the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. Significant effort has been expanded to optimize the quartz resonator design, the double oven circuitry and the digital tuning scheme. The oscillator is implemented using readily available space qualified parts.