Accurate time transfer based on communication satellite

As we all known, the accuracy of time that provided by navigation systems is about tens of nanoseconds. Some applications, such as the time synchronization between ground stations in VLBI, need several nanoseconds or better accuracy of time. This paper provides a possible way for accurate time transfer via communication satellites. Users with simple receive devices can achieve time equivalent to that of common view time transfer. The transponder on the communication satellite is used to transmit the navigation signal generated and uploaded by the ground station. This method makes full use of the function of navigation and communication of GEO satellites. It is a possible way for accurate time transfer via communication satellite based on the principle of common-view time transfer. Test results indicate this method can provide time information with the accuracy of better than 5ns.