Creation of the new industry-standard space test of laser retroreflectors for the GNSS and LAGEOS

Dell’Agnello, S.; Monache, G. O. Delle; Currie, D. G.; Vittori, R.; Cantone, C.; Garattini, M.; Boni, A.; Martini, M.; Lops, C.; Intaglietta, N.; Tauraso, Roberto; Arnold, Daniel; Pearlman, M. R.; Bianco, G. Lo; Zerbini, Susanna; Maiello, M.; Berardi, S.; Porcelli, L.; Alley, C. O.; McGarry, Jan F.; Sciarretta, C.; Luceri, V.; Zagwodzki, Thomas W.

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2010.10.022

Cited by 52 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Some of the criteria used in the GRA design are reported schematically in Figure 7, right. Some of these are the ones endorsed by ILRS and reported in [1]. The GRA is shown inside the SCF-G in Figure 7.…”

Section: Gnssmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SCF_Lab is dedicated to the characterization and modeling of the space segment of SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging [1]- [4]), LLR (Lunar Laser Ranging, [5]- [12]) and PLRA (Planetary Laser Ranging and Altimetry) for industrial and scientific applications. A description of the different applications in SLR, LLR, and PLRA can be found at http://www.lnf.infn.it/conference/laser2012/.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We use LAGEOS (LAser GEO dynamics Satellite) and Apollo LRAs as reference payloads standards of the ILRS (International Laser Ranging Service; see http://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov). The SCF-Test of an engineering model of a polar sector of LAGEOS on loan at the SCF_Lab by NASA is described in [1] and [2]. The thermal SCF-Test of a flat-shape 3 × 3 CCR matrix with LAGEOS/Apollo CCRs and mounting scheme, built by the SCF_Lab, is described in [3] and [4].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Advanced Laser Retroreflectors for Astrophysics and Space Science

Agnello¹,

Monache²,

Vittori³

et al. 2015

JAMP

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We developed advances laser retroreflectors for solar system exploration, geodesy and for precision test of General Relativity (GR) and new gravitational physics: a micro-reflector array (INRRI, Instrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflectors Investigations), a midsize reflector array for the European Earth Observation (EO) program, Copernicus (CORA, COpernicus laser Retroreflector Array), a large, single-retroreflector (MoonLIGHT, Moon Laser Instrumentation for General relativity High accuracy Tests). These laser retroreflectors will be fully characterized at the SCF_Lab (Satellite/lunar/GNSS laser ranging/altimetry Cube/microsat Characterization Facilities Laboratory), a unique and dedicated infrastructure of INFN-LNF (www.lnf.infn.it/esperimenti/etrusco/). Our research program foresees several activities: 1) Developing and characterizing the mentioned laser retroreflector devices to determine landing accuracy, rover positioning during exploration and planetary/Moon's surface georeferencing. These devices will be passive, laser wavelengthindependent, long-lived reference point. INRRI will enable the performance of full-column measurement of trace species in the Mars atmosphere by future space-borne lidars. These measurements will be complementary to highly localized measurements made by gas sampling techniques on the Rover or by laser back-scattering lidar techniques on future orbiters and/or from the surface. INRRI will also support laser and quantum communications, carried out among future Mars Orbiters and Mars Rovers. This will be possible also because the INRRI laser retroreflectors will be metal back-coated and, therefore, will not change the photon polarization. The added value of INRRI is its low mass, compact size, zero maintenance and its usefulness for any future laser altimetry, ranging, communications, atmospheric lidar capable Mars orbiter, for virtually decades after the end of the Mars surface mission, like the Apollo and Lunokhod lunar laser retroreflectors.

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Section: Gnssmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Advanced Laser Retroreflectors for Astrophysics and Space Science

Agnello¹,

Monache²,

Vittori³

et al. 2015

JAMP

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“…This is due to the lunar librations, which move the Apollo arrays, since that have dimensions of 1 square meter, for the Apollo 15, and half square meter, for the Apollo 11 and 14. In this paragraph we will describe the Moon-LIGHT/LLRRA21 payload to improving gravity tests and lunar science measurements [3,6]. This project is the result of the collaboration of two teams: the LLRRA21 team in the USA, led by Douglas Currie of the University of Maryland, and the Italian one led by INFN-LNF.…”

Section: The Moonlight -Iln Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moonlight: A New Lunar Laser Ranging Retroreflector and the Lunar Geodetic Precession

et al. 2013

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Abstract. Since the 1970s Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) to the Apollo Cube Corner Retroreflector (CCR) arrays (developed by the University of Maryland, UMD) supplied almost all significant tests of General Relativity (Alley et al., 1970;Chang et al., 1971;Bender et al.,1973): possible changes in the gravitational constant, gravitational self-energy, weak equivalence principle, geodetic precession, inverse-square force-law. The LNF group, in fact, has just completed a new measurement of the lunar geodetic precession with Apollo array, with accuracy of 9 × 10 −3 , comparable to the best measurement to date. LLR has also provided significant information on the composition and origin of the moon. This is the only Apollo experiment still in operation. In the 1970s Apollo LLR arrays contributed a negligible fraction of the ranging error budget. Since the ranging capabilities of ground stations improved by more than two orders of magnitude, now, because of the lunar librations, Apollo CCR arrays dominate the error budget. With the project MoonLIGHT (Moon Laser Instrumentation for General relativity High-accuracy Tests), in 2006 INFN-LNF joined UMD in the development and test of a new-generation LLR payload made by a single, large CCR (100 mm diameter) unaffected by the effect of librations. With MoonLIGHT CCRs the accuracy of the measurement of the lunar geodetic precession can be improved up to a factor 100 compared to Apollo arrays. From a technological point of view, INFN-LNF built and is operating a new experimental apparatus (Satellite/lunar laser ranging Characterization Facility, SCF) and created a new industry-standard test procedure (SCF-Test) to characterize and model the detailed thermal behavior and the optical performance of CCRs in accurately laboratory-simulated space conditions, for industrial and scientific applications. Our key experimental innovation is the concurrent measurement and modeling of the optical Far Field Diffraction Pattern (FFDP) and the temperature distribution of retroreflector payloads under thermal conditions produced with a close-match solar simulator. The apparatus includes infrared cameras for non-invasive thermometry, thermal control and real-time payload movement to simulate satellite orientation on orbit with respect to solar illumination and laser interrogation beams. These capabilities provide: unique pre-launch performance validation of the space segment of LLR/SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging); retroreflector design optimization to maximize ranging efficiency and signal-to-noise conditions in daylight. Results of the SCF-Test of our CCR payload will be presented. Negotiations are underway to propose our payload and SCF-Test services for precision gravity and lunar science measurements with next robotic lunar landing missions. In particular, a scientific collaboration agreement was signed on Jan. 30, 2012, by D. Currie, S. Dell'Agnello and the Japanese PI team of the LLR instrument of the proposed SELENE-2 mission by JAXA (Registered with INFN Protocol n. 0000242-03/Feb/2012). The ...

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“…The CCR and its housing will be set by a rod into the lunar regolith to a depth of 1 m [8]. The SCF-Test [9] is a new test procedure, never performed before, for characterizing and modelling the detailed thermal behavior and the optical performance of laser retroreflectors in space for industrial and scientific applications. We perform an SCF-Test on the MoonLIGHT CCR to evaluate the thermal and optical performance in a space environment.…”

Section: The New Maryland/frascati Payloadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moonlight: A New Lunar Laser Ranging Retroreflector Instrument

et al. 2013

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Since 1969 Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) to the Apollo Cube Corner Reflector (CCR) arrays has supplied several significant tests of gravity: Geodetic Precession, the Strong and Weak Equivalence Principle (SEP, WEP), the Parametrized Post Newtonian (PPN) parameter , the time change of the Gravitational constant (G), 1/r<sup>2</sup> deviations and new gravitational theories beyond General Relativity (GR), like the unified braneworld theory (G. Dvali et al., 2003). Now a new generation of LLR can do better using evolved laser retroreflectors, developed from tight collaboration between my institution, INFN–LNF (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare – Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati), and Douglas Currie (University of Maryland, USA), one of the fathers of LLR. The new lunar CCR is developing and characterizing at the “Satellite/Lunar laser ranging Characterization Facility” (SCF), in Frascati, performing our new industry standard space test procedure, the “SCF-Test”; this work contains the experimental results of the SCF-Test applied to the new lunar CCR, and all the new payload developments, including the future SCF tests. The International Lunar Network (ILN) research project considers our new retroreflector as one of the possible “Core Instruments”

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Creation of the new industry-standard space test of laser retroreflectors for the GNSS and LAGEOS

Cited by 52 publications

References 15 publications

Advanced Laser Retroreflectors for Astrophysics and Space Science

Advanced Laser Retroreflectors for Astrophysics and Space Science

Moonlight: A New Lunar Laser Ranging Retroreflector and the Lunar Geodetic Precession

Moonlight: A New Lunar Laser Ranging Retroreflector Instrument

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