April 23, the Chinese Academy of Sciences "Earth-Moon space DRO exploration research" Class A pilot special, the successful implementation of 350,000 kilometers oflaser ranging new technology test. This is the first time in China to realizelaser ranging on the Earth-Moon distance scale, and the first time in the world to realize the laser observation of the single cone reflector of thein the circumlunar orbit, indicating that China has the capability of independent research and development of the whole link of Earth-Moon high-precision laser ranging and its engineering application. As a result, China has become the second country after the United States that can realize single cone reflector laser ranging at the Earth-Moon distance.
This new technology test is led by the Space Engineering and Technology Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for planning, the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Shanghai Observatory) for the development of star-carrying angular reflector, and the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory of CAS for the support of observation by a 1.2m laser telescope.
Reporters from the Shanghai Observatory was informed that the new laser angle reflector used in this test to fill the blank of China's Earth-Moon high-precision lightweight laser angle reflector. The weight of the reflector is less than 1.3 kilograms, and it adopts the design of a large-diameter single-angle cone, and the theoretical ranging error caused by the reflector can reach the sub-millimeter level, which is significantly better than that of the mainstream array-type reflector. The development team has overcome the speed difference matching far-field diffraction design, micro-radian level cone dihedral angle control, low temperature difference mirror passive thermal control and other key technologies, so that the load reflective ability to reach a similar level with the current lunar reflector Apollo 11 (23.6 kg, 100 cones).
It is worth mentioning that, as a passive star-carried payload, the reflector can support high-precision laser ranging and time transfer on the Earth-Moon scale with a long life, and can be widely deployed on the lunar surface and Earth-Moon space vehicles to provide high-precision time and distance measurement data for Earth-Moon scientific research, establishment and maintenance of Earth-Moon spatio-temporal benchmarks and to enhance China's international competitiveness in the field of Earth-Moon space exploration and deep space exploration, and to provide high precision time and distance measurement data for China's future Earth-Moon It will also provide technical support for China's future Earth-Moon space exploration, lunar scientific research stations and other major national missions.
