CREATION OF THE NEW INDUSTRY-STANDARD SPACE TEST OF LASER RETROREFLECTORS FOR GNSS, FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS AND SPACE GEODESY: THE SCF-TEST

Paper number

IAC-09.D5.1.8

Author

Dr. Giovanni Delle Monache, INFN-LNF , Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Simone Dell''Agnello, INFN-LNF , Italy

Coauthor

Prof. Douglas Currie, University of Maryland, College Park, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Roberto Vittori, European Space Agency (ESA), Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Claudio Cantone, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Marco Garattini, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Alessandro Boni, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Manuele Martini, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Caterina Lops, Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Nicola Intaglietta, Italy

Coauthor

Prof. Roberto Tauraso, Italy

Coauthor

Dr. David Arnold, United States

Coauthor

Dr. G. Bianco, Matera Space Geodesy Center, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Italy

Coauthor

Dr. Mike Pearlman, United States

Coauthor

Mr. Mauro Maiello, Italy

Year

2009

Abstract

We created a new experimental apparatus (the SCF) and a new test procedure (the SCF-Test) to
characterize and model the detailed thermal behavior and the optical performance of laser retroreflectors in space for industrial and scientific applications. One of the primary goals of this innovative tool is to provide critical capabilities in a timely fashion for the advent of the European GNSS, GALILEO: (i) validation of the functionality of GNSS laser retro-reflector payloads; (ii) optimization of their design in order to maximize the efficiency of satellite laser ranging (SLR)
observations by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) and, therefore, improve the
positioning of GNSS satellites, both in terms of absolute precision and of long-term stability. The SCF-Test was developed in the context of the ETRUSCO experiment of INFN (approved in Summer 2006) at INFN-LNF, Frascati (Italy), a large-scale infrastructure of the European Research Framework Programme (FP). This research has been funded by INFN and it was
carried out at two dedicated LNF facilities, in collaboration with Italian and American partners.
Since a comprehensive and non-invasive space characterization like the SCF-Test has never been performed before, the results reported in this paper are important to understand the SLR
performance on current and future GNSS, as well as the fundamental physics reach of 2nd
generation lunar laser ranging (LLR). We identified the SCF-Test as a missing industry standard
for space applications and as a missing critical service/functionality for GALILEO. We propose
its adoption as a tool for the simulation and testing of GALILEO SLR and of 2nd generation LLR
for the International Lunar Network (ILN) and for NASA’s manned landings

Abstract document

IAC-09.D5.1.8.pdf

Manuscript document

(absent)