High-accuracy satellite laser ranging system

The accuracy of satellite laser ranging systems has been improved from several meters to the present limit of 5-10 cm. Geodetic research in earthquake prediction, continental drift, polar motion, and gravitational-field modeling now requires range accuracies approaching 2 cm. The present hardware limitation has been the lack of a stable, short-pulse (<0.5-nsec), high-power (>1-GW) laser and matching receiver electronics. Such a system has been developed by GTE Sylvania for the Institut für Angewandte Geodäsie, FRG, and it is expected to become operational in mid 1976. This system is capable of ranging to all present and proposed geodetic satellites including GEOS, STARLETTE, and LAGEOS. Lunar ranging is also possible with modifications to system timing, software control, and data processing.