Testing the Reality of Time Dilation: A Model-Independent Experiment with GNSS Clocks

The operational success of the Global Positioning System, particularly the pre-launch frequency adjustment of its atomic clocks, is widely cited as proof of relativistic time dilation. However, this adjustment, along with other confirmations such as particle decay and gravitational redshift, constitutes an indirect, model-dependent inference. This paper proposes a direct, model-independent test to isolate the physical reality of time dilation. By comparing the total oscillation count of a satellite clock against an Earth-bound reference over a "cosmic interval" defined by a full orbital period, we break the circular definitions of time and frequency. The test offers a binary outcome: a positive count difference provides a uniquely direct and model-independent confirmation of time dilation as a physical reality, while a null result would contradict a key prediction in this context, posing a fundamental puzzle. The sole requirement is access to externally unsteered clock data from satellite archives.