Satellite Laser Ranging Photon-Budget Calculations for a Single Satellite Cornercube Retroreflector: Attitude Control Tolerance

Abstract

The effect of cornercube retroreflector orientation on satellite laser ranging (SLR) detected photon counts is examined. It is found that a retroreflector tilt can ameliorate the effects of the satellite velocity aberration by broadening the reflected beam through diffraction. The optimal tilt angle, away from the SLR station, can be up to approximately 20:5 for the present retroreflector design. The size and direction of the tilt angle depend on the satellite velocity relative to the SLR station, and the direction of the satellite from the SLR station. The required attitude control tolerance is to within 17 of the optimal attitude control strategy determined in the present work. A pre-launch measurement of the reflectance (diffraction) pattern of each retroreflector is recommended to take account of the significant likely manufacturing variation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2015
Accession Number
ADA625479

Entities

People

  • Philip C. Stephenson

Organizations

  • Defence Science and Technology Group

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Diffraction
  • Far Field
  • Geometry
  • Grids
  • Lasers
  • Materials
  • National Security
  • Optical Phenomena
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Photons
  • Range Finding
  • Reflection
  • Refraction
  • Refractive Index
  • Right Angles
  • Satellite Orientation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Software Verification and Validation.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers