Simultaneous satellite laser ranging and intercomparison of ranging were performed by three NASA tracking stations, in support of NASA Crustal Dynamics Project, to determine accuracy in laser ranging to earth bound satellites. The satellite used in this experiment is LAGEOS (laser geodynamic satellite) which is equipped with retroreflectors and is at a distance of 6000km in a near circular earth orbit. All three stations went through major hardware upgrades and have demonstrated single shot satellite ranging precision of 8mm, 14mm, 30mm respectively with a stability better than 3mm; the difference in precision emerging from the photoelectron statistics as well as the time of flight measurement devices used. The data was taken with all three stations in close proximity (<40meter) to each other and performance comparison accomplished through data processing software such as POLYQUICK (using pure geometry) and GEODYN (using orbital techniques) which are capable of providing comparison at the mm level. Since the POLYQUICK program is very sensitive to the accuracy of the telescope pointing angle, refinement of the predicted angle was performed via integrating the IRV( inter range vector) using the actual range data and using this data for analysis. Results indicate consistent agreement in satellite ranging among these stations under lcm. Details are discussed.

Date Published: 3 May 1988
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 0887, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing II, (3 May 1988); doi: 10.1117/12.944209

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0887:
Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing II
James E. Kimbrell, Editor(s)