University of Florida¶
SST org page for the University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, FL.
Last updated: 2026-04-14 (session 18)
SST Footprint¶
| Project | PI | Period | TRL | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93925 CHOMPTT — Precision Time Transfer | John W. Conklin | 2015–2020 | 4→9 | flew (Dec 2018, Rocket Lab ELaNa XIX) |
| 94153 MOCT — Pulse Modulator for Optical Crosslinks | John W. Conklin | 2016–2018 | 3→4 | transitioned (→ CLICK optical comms domain) |
Both SST projects share the same PI (Conklin) and the same lab (Precision Space Systems Lab). CHOMPTT is the only TRL 9 project in the entire 111-project SST portfolio. MOCT (Miniature Optical Communications Transceiver) developed a pulse-position modulator for CubeSat laser crosslinks — same technology domain as MIT's CLICK.
Other UF PI: Norman Fitz-Coy was PI on the LaRC-led Precision ADCS project 106813 (TRL 3→5, 2013–2015), which led to SwampSat — the first CubeSat to fly control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) in orbit. Fitz-Coy is not the lead org PI but UF was a key contributor.
John W. Conklin — People Chain¶
The most consequential SST-to-flagship people chain in the portfolio.
Background¶
- Cornell BS/MEng → Stanford PhD (2009, Hansen Experimental Physics Lab) → Stanford postdoc (3 years) → UF faculty 2012
- Research focus: precision instruments for Position, Navigation, Timing, and Gravity (PNTG)
SST Phase (2015–2020)¶
CHOMPTT (93925) demonstrated the first on-orbit measurement of chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) performance. Key results: - Launched Dec 16, 2018 on Rocket Lab Electron (ELaNa XIX) into 500 km, 85° orbit - 3U CubeSat bus built by NASA Ames, 1U OPTI instrument built by UF PSSL - CSACs performed 3× better than manufacturer spec (100 ps Allan deviation over 1 s vs. 300 ps spec) - First-ever on-orbit CSAC Allan deviation measurement achieved - Attempted laser time-transfer to three satellite laser ranging (SLR) facilities - Published: Advances in Space Research (2023), SmallSat 2017, SmallSat 2019 - Confidence: confirmed (NTRS 20190027323, peer-reviewed results in Adv. Space Res.)
MOCT (94153) advanced a software-defined pulse modulator for optical crosslinks using differential pulse-position modulation (DPPM). TRL 3→4 in 2 years. The optical crosslink concept connects to the broader CLICK/DORA/OCSD optical comms thread in SST, though no direct project lineage confirmed.
Post-SST Trajectory¶
Conklin's SST work proved he could design, build, and fly precision timing instruments on CubeSat budgets. His subsequent trajectory:
| Project | Program | Period | TRL | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91511 Deep-space laser comms (DPPM) | STRG | 2014–2018 | 2→3 | PI |
| 23546 Gravitational wave inertial sensors | RTF (SMD) | 2015–2017 | — | PI |
| 96406 Earth geodesy constellation instruments | IIP (SMD) | 2020–2022 | 2→3 | PI |
| LISA Charge Management Device (CMD) | NASA contract | 2020+ | — | PI |
| 5+ additional TechPort projects | Various | — | — | PI/Co-I |
LISA CMD: $12.58M contract — Conklin is PI for NASA's Charge Management Device for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a flagship ESA/NASA gravitational wave observatory launching mid-2030s. The CMD uses ultraviolet LEDs and fiber optics to control electric charge on free-floating test masses — the same core competency in precision sensing that CHOMPTT demonstrated at CubeSat scale.
Institutional influence: Chair of NASA Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group. Vice-Chair of NASA Astrophysics Advisory Committee.
The Arc¶
CHOMPTT (SST, ~$1M) → LISA CMD ($12.58M) represents a ~12× funding escalation from CubeSat demo to flagship mission hardware, enabled by the same precision sensing competency. SST gave Conklin his first flight-proven instrument; LISA CMD is the mature version of that same capability applied to a $2B+ mission. This may be the highest-ROI SST investment in the portfolio when measured by downstream mission scale. Confidence: confirmed (UF press releases, NASA contract award, TechPort records).
Norman Fitz-Coy — Secondary People Chain¶
Fitz-Coy was PI on SST precision ADCS 106813 (LaRC-led), developing star trackers and CMGs for CubeSat attitude control. This work transitioned to SwampSat, the first CubeSat to demonstrate CMGs in orbit.
Fitz-Coy and Conklin are both in UF MAE — a 2014 UF article features both under "NASA grants" for small satellite technology. UF had two simultaneous SST-funded lines: Conklin (precision timing/sensing) and Fitz-Coy (precision pointing). Both succeeded. Confidence: confirmed (SwampSat flight, UF press).
Collaborators¶
- NASA Ames Research Center — Built CHOMPTT 3U bus. Roger Hunter (ARC) was SST Program Manager on both CHOMPTT and MOCT.
- Air Force Research Laboratory — Listed as "Other Organization" on CHOMPTT. AFRL has interest in precision timing for PNT.
- JPL — Co-Is on Conklin's IIP geodesy project [96406] (Klipstein, Ziemer, Spero, Wiese). JPL precision instruments community.
Publications¶
- Advances in Space Research (2023): "Laser time-transfer facility and preliminary results from the CHOMPTT CubeSat mission" — peer-reviewed flight results
- SmallSat Conference (2017, 2019): CHOMPTT concept-to-launch and preliminary results
- NTRS 20190027323: Conference abstract on CHOMPTT evolution
- Multiple LISA/CMD publications in astrophysics journals (post-SST)
Cross-References¶
- Smallsat Communications & Navigation — MOCT optical crosslinks
- PNT & Timing — CHOMPTT precision timing
- High-Profile Missions — CHOMPTT flight
- University & Academic Outcomes — UF people chains
- Ames Research Center — CHOMPTT bus builder
- Langley Research Center — Fitz-Coy precision ADCS
Key Takeaway¶
UF is the SST portfolio's CubeSat-to-flagship bridge. Conklin's CHOMPTT (only TRL 9) demonstrated that CubeSat-scale precision instruments could meet flagship-grade requirements. The CHOMPTT→LISA CMD arc — from a $1M CubeSat demo to a $12.58M contract on a $2B+ observatory — is the clearest example in the SST portfolio of a university PI leveraging SST as a stepping stone to major mission hardware. Combined with Fitz-Coy's SwampSat CMGs, UF produced two independent SST-funded technology transitions through two independent people chains.