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Recent Progress at the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) The International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) is experiencing significant growth. New stations are being built and brought into operation, expanding the spatial and temporal coverage of the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) observations. Some of these stations are multi-technique Core Sites that allow us to exploit the combined strengths of different geodetic space techniques. New satellites are strengthening the ILRS contribution to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), and expanding the spectrum of satellite applications supported by the ILRS. New analysis, modeling, and data processing techniques continue to improve the science products. New campaigns are continuing to expand SLR applications into relativity and the study of non-gravitational forces. The ILRS is currently participating in the Galileo for Science campaign (G4S_2.0 project), funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which aims to perform a set of measurements in the field of gravitation with the Galileo satellites, taking advantage of the accuracy of the on-board atomic clocks and, in particular, of GSAT0201and GSAT0202 by exploiting their relatively high eccentricity (~0.16). New activities underway in Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR), with the imminent launch and deployment of the upcoming Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector - 1 (NGLR-1) to the lunar surface. Some new satellites supported by the ILRS are now exploring means of capturing Space Debris, while some ILRS stations run local laser ranging projects to track space debris, contributing to the maintenance of various data catalogs. Time transfer experiments are also expanding the application of laser ranging, linking two fully characterized optical clocks at different locations with SLR (Einstein Synchronization) providing measurements of height differences, demonstrating the feasibility of a physical height system. Two-way and one-way transponders activity has been underway since the LASSO experiment in the 1990’s. More experiments are underway or planned. Applications include time and frequency transfer and clock synchronization between ground and space, interplanetary laser ranging, and fundamental physics.
This presentation will give an update on ILRS activities and the impact that these activities have had and will have on ILRS data products.
Document ID
20240015889
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Poster
Authors
Claudia C Carabajal
(NVI Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Michael R Pearlman
(Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States)
Stephen Merkowitz
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, United States)
Mathis Bloßfeld ORCID
(Frauenklinik der Technischen Universität München Munich, Germany)
Clément Courde
(Université Côte d'Azur Nice, France)
Jan Mcgarry
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, United States)
Evan Hoffman
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, United States)
Ulrich Schreiber
(Frauenklinik der Technischen Universität München Munich, Germany)
Michael Steindorfer
(Austrian Academy of Sciences Vienna, Austria)
Beatriz Vaquero
(Yebes Observatory Yebes, Spain)
Shinichi Nakamura
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Tokyo, Japan)
Andrea DiMira
(European Space Agency Paris, France)
Gro Grinde
(Norwegian Mapping Authority Hønefoss, Norway)
Michael Haefner
(Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy Frankfurt am Main, Germany)
Date Acquired
December 11, 2024
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Ground Support Systems and Facilities (Space)
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Geophysical Union (AGU24) Fall meeting
Location: Washington, D.C.
Country: US
Start Date: December 9, 2024
End Date: December 13, 2024
Sponsors: American Geophysical Union ( AGU)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80GSFC20C0044
TASK: 104
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
Technical Review
NASA Technical Management
Keywords
Lunar Laser Ranging
Laser Ranging Network
Terrestrial Reference Frame
Time Transfer
Space Debris
Transponders
International Laser Ranging Service
Geodesy
Satellite Laser Ranging
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