A 'Cosmic Positioning System' in the outer solar system 4d ago

A new NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I report proposes a "Cosmic Positioning System" (CPS) to address the "Hubble Tension," a discrepancy in the measured expansion rate of the universe. This proposed system involves a network of five satellites strategically placed throughout the solar system, with baselines ranging from 20 to 100 AU. By employing a GPS-like triangulation technique and precise timing of photon travel between satellites, CPS aims to directly measure distances to celestial objects, potentially resolving the conflict between measurements derived from cosmic microwave background radiation (67.4 km/s/Mpc) and those from Cepheid variables and supernovae (around 73 km/s/Mpc). The system requires significant engineering advancements, including deployable 8-9 meter antennas, cryogenic cooling, and miniaturized atomic clocks, potentially supplemented by radioisotope thermal generators. Beyond its primary goal, CPS could also enable secondary research into dark matter distribution, gravitational waves, and the gravitational influence of the Kuiper Belt and a hypothetical Planet 9.
















