Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
The lunar laser range data taken at McDonald Observatory between August 1969 and May 1980 has been analyzed. The simple rms residual for the 2954 ranges is 31 cm. Results of the analysis include GMearth = 398600.45±0.02 km3/sec2 and a secular acceleration of the lunar orbital mean longitude of ṅ = −23.8±1.5“/century2 which yields a Q of 12.3 at semidiurnal frequencies. The lunar harmonic C30 is (−8.7 ± 1.1) × 10−6 and the lunar rotational dissipation k2mT = (4.7 ± 0.5) × 10−3 day. Also resulting from the solution are geocentric coordinates of McDonald accurate to 30 cm, including the first value for the longitude with the new IAU constants and a dynamical equinox.