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Information Obtainable from Laser Range Measurements to a Lunar Corner Reflector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2015

C. O. Alley
Affiliation:
Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Md., U.S.A.
P. L. Bender
Affiliation:
Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, University of Colorado and National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colo., U.S.A.

Abstract

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It has been proposed to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration that optical retro-reflector packages be placed on the lunar surface under either the Surveyor or Apollo Programs. Methods for measuring the range to the reflectors with an expected accuracy of 15 cm have been presented. The new technique is briefly discussed, and an analysis of the determination of geocentric longitude is given, indicating a potential uncertainty of 0·25 × 10−3s of time.

RÉSUMÉ

II a été proposé ä l'Administration nationale américaine de l'aéronautique et de l'espace (NASA) de poser sur la surface de la Lüne un réflecteur artificiel de lumière - cataphote - dans le cadre de Tun de ses programmes - "Surveyor" ou "Apollo". Diverses méthodes ont été présentées, assurant aux mesures de la distance aux réflecteurs une précision de 15 cm. La technique nouvelle est discutée succintement, et une analyse est présentée de la méthode de détermination de la longitude géocentrique avec une précision de 0·25 χ 10‒3 s horaires.

Type
Part II: Scientific Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1968 

References

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