Operation and Performance of a Lunar Laser Ranging Station

E. C. Silverberg

doi:10.1364/AO.13.000565

Applied Optics
Vol. 13,
Issue 3,
pp. 565-574
(1974)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.13.000565

Operation and Performance of a Lunar Laser Ranging Station

E. C. Silverberg

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Get PDF
Email
Share
Get Citation
Copy Citation Text
E. C. Silverberg, "Operation and Performance of a Lunar Laser Ranging Station," Appl. Opt. 13, 565-574 (1974)

Export Citation
- BibTex
- Endnote (RIS)
- HTML
- Plain Text
Citation alert
Save article

Abstract

The Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment has been in continuous operation for about 4 years using the McDonald Observatory 2.7-m telescope. Occupying only a small percentage of the available telescope time, the system is now measuring 350 lunar ranges per year, each with an accuracy of from 10 cm to 15 cm. This article tabulates the observed signal strengths, the success ratios, and the major operating restrictions that have characterized the daily performance of the experiment. These empirical data can be used to optimize the design of such installations in the future.

Full Article | PDF Article

More Like This

Transportable Lunar-Ranging System

C. G. Lehr, M. R. Pearlman, J. A. Monjes, and W. F. Hagen
Appl. Opt. 11(2) 300-304 (1972)

Next-generation hollow retroreflectors for lunar laser ranging

Alix Preston and Stephen Merkowitz
Appl. Opt. 52(36) 8676-8684 (2013)

French transportable laser ranging station: scientific objectives, technical features, and performance

Joëlle Nicolas, Francis Pierron, Michel Kasser, Pierre Exertier, Pascal Bonnefond, François Barlier, and Jennifer Haase
Appl. Opt. 39(3) 402-410 (2000)

Previous Article Next Article

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (8)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (5)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (1)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Receiver/transmitter size	2.7-m diam
Energy transmitted/shot (corrected for optical losses)	1.2 J
Typical receiver spatial filter	6 sec of arc
Typical receiver spectral filter	0.7 Å
Over-all receiver counting efficiency	0.2–0.6%
Laser pulse width	3-nsec FWHM
Laser repetition rate	20/min
Single shot uncertainty	±2.0 nsec rms
Minimum output collimation	1.5 sec of arc

(A)	Used for at least one successful range measurement.	30%
(B)	Attempted an unsuccessful range measurement.	12%
(C)	Cancelled for reasons of poor transparency including clouds, dust, or water vapor.	35%
(D)	Cancelled because of poor contrast (usually near new moon).	6%
(E)	Cancelled due to an equipment failure, including telescope breakdowns.	6%
(F)	Cancelled because of poor seeing.	5%
(G)	Cancelled because of detrimental effects to another observing program.	4%
(H)	Other cancellations including aircraft in vicinity.	2%

		100%

Array	Number of attempts	Successful measurements	Number of laser shots	Number of detected photoelectrons
Apollo 11 (landed July ’69)	344	232	69375	1941
Luna 17 (landed Nov. ’70)	27	0	6480	?
Apollo 14 (landed Feb. ’71)	223	152	47601	1127
Apollo 15 (landed July ’71)	356	300	53856	2791

Array	Number of laser shots	Number of detected photoelectrons	Signal (P.E./shot)
Apollo 15	12,328	1142	0.092
Apollo 11 or Apollo 14	18,152	862	0.048

Possible system configuration	Spectral filter (Å)	Spatial filter (sec of arc)	Single shot uncertainty (nsec)	Number of timing stops	Over-all receiver counting efficiency	Minimum energy per shot^a (J)	Noise blanking at full moon^b	Minimum Total energy^c (J/min)
(1) McDonald-like ranging system, 2.7 m	1	6	±2.5	1	0.4%	0.035	~10%	3.7
(2) 1.5-m telescope with some coated optics and a conventional Q-switched laser	4	6	±10	4	1.0%	0.28	<1%	4.3
(3) 1.5-m telescope with short pulsed laser	2	6	±2.5	1	1.0%	0.07	~12%	4.9
(4) 0.8-m telescope with all coated optics & mode locked low divergence laser	2	6	±0.5	1	2.0%	0.014	~9%	9.5

Abstract

Cited By

Figures (8)

Tables (5)

Equations (1)

Applied Optics