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Overview

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) use short-pulse lasers and state-of-the-art optical receivers and timing electronics to measure the two-way time of flight (and hence distance) from ground stations to retroreflector arrays on Earth orbiting satellites and the Moon. Scientific products derived using SLR and LLR data include precise geocentric positions and motions of ground stations, satellite orbits, components of Earth’s gravity field and their temporal variations, Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), precise lunar ephemerides and information about the internal structure of the Moon. Laser ranging systems are already measuring the one-way distance to remote optical receivers in space and can perform very accurate time transfer between sites far apart. Laser ranging activities are organized under the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) which provides global satellite and lunar laser ranging data and their derived data products to support research in geodesy, geophysics, Lunar science, and fundamental constants. This includes data products that are fundamental to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), which is established and maintained by the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS). The ILRS develops the necessary global standards/specifications for laser ranging activities and encourages international adherence to its conventions.

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Highlights

Introductory and Refresher Course on Satellite and Lunar Laser RangingRelease Date: 07/11/2019The ILRS has scheduled a one-day introductory course to give non-practitioners in SLR an opportunity to broaden their knowledge about laser ranging to Earth-orbiting satellites and the Moon. The course will also provide those with some experience in the field an opportunity to refresh and strengthen their knowledge and increase their appreciation of this powerful measurement technique that supports geoscience and applications. The course is scheduled for Sunday, October 20, 2019, in Stuttgart, Germany, just prior to the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop. The program for this one-day "SLR School" is available.

Talks will be given in a tutorial format, with time for questions and discussion. Interested parties can attend the school with or without participating in the Workshop. Attendees will be charged an entrance fee of 30 Euros to cover lunch and breaks.

Tutorials will differ in length depending on the topic, but each session should leave ample time for questions and discussion. Seminars will be given at the level of a non-expert, recognizing that we expect people to attend who are not currently working in the field, but are curious, as well as people who are newly involved in laser ranging, but need to broadening their current level of understanding.

The one-day SLR School will be a great way for attendees to get an overview of an important component of the space geodesy measurement constellation. Please see the attached PDF for the topics to be covered in the program. Participants in the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop can indicate their plans to attend the SLR School during registration (see http://dlr.de/ilrs2019). Those wishing to attend only the SLR School should contact the workshop’s local organizing committee (ilrs.workshop@dlr.de); arrangements are being made for payment of the one-day fee.

This one-day event is an opportunity for participants to get an overall view of satellite laser ranging and is the first time that such a school has been offered. The school will be held at the:

Pullman Stuttgart Fontana Hotel
Vollmoellerstraße 5, 70563 Stuttgart, Germany

More Information on hotels, transportation, etc., is available on the workshop website at: http://dlr.de/ilrs2019.

Planning for the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop has begunRelease Date: 02/12/2019 Planning for the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop has begun! We ask that you mark your calendars and reserve the date for the next gathering of the ILRS community:

Dates: October 21-25, 2019
Location: Stuttgart, Germany

The workshop will be sponsored by the DLR in Stuttgart, Germany. The program committee is actively working on the defining the theme and session topics for the workshop while the local organizers are planning the workshop logistics. The first circular for the workshop will be issued in the very near future.

We hope you will consider attending the workshop!

ILRS Governing Board for the 2019-2020 termRelease Date: 02/11/2019 The ILRS Governing Board is pleased to announce that the election of the two Board-appointed members to the ILRS Governing Board has been completed. We were fortunate to have had many qualified candidates participate in the election process. The members of the ILRS Governing Board have elected Ulli Schreiber (Technische Universität München) and Krzysztof Sośnica (Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences) to these two positions.

Thus, the 18 members of the ILRS Governing Board for the 2019-2020 term are:

Director of the Central Bureau:
Secretary of the Central Bureau:
Representative of IAG Commission 1:
IERS Representative:
EUROLAS Network Representatives:
NASA Network Representatives:
WPLTN Representatives:

Analysis Representatives:
LLR Representative:
Data Center Representative:
At-Large Representatives:

Board Appointed Representatives:

Mike Pearlman (appointed)

Carey Noll (appointed)

Urs Hugentobler (appointed)
Daniela Thaller (appointed)
Pippo Bianco, Georg Kirchner
Jan McGarry, Stephen Merkowitz
James Bennett, Zhang Zhongping
Cinzia Luceri, Erricos Pavlis
Jean-Marie Torre
Christian Schwatke

Toshi Otsubo (Chair), Matt Wilkinson
Ulli Schreiber, Krzysztof Sośnica

Once again, congratulations to the newly-elected representatives and thank you to all the excellent candidates who participated in the ILRS Governing Board elections.

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Recent News

Introductory and Refresher Course on Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging - The ILRS has scheduled a one-day introductory course to give non-practitioners in SLR an opportunity to broaden their knowledge about laser ranging to Earth-orbiting satellites and the Moon. The course will also provide those with some experience in the field an opportunity to refresh and strengthen their knowledge and increase their appreciation of this powerful measurement technique that supports geoscience and applications. The course is scheduled for Sunday, October 20, 2019, in Stuttgart, Germany, just prior to the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop. The program for this one-day "SLR School" is available.

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New ILRS monthly station performance maps released - The CDDIS has started supplying monthly ILRS network and station performance assessment maps on the ILRS website as a supplement to the system performance tools we currently provide. These maps were presented at the 21st International Workshop on Laser Ranging and changes were incorporated based on inputs from the station clinic attendees. Due to limitations based on the software packages used to build these maps, CDDIS is not able to incorporate all features at this time. In addition, LLR was added (not as a requirement) while GNSS Pass parameters were removed for reassessment. The maps are available on the ILRS website within the System Performance section at https://ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov/network/system_performance/monthly_station_performance_maps/index.html

2019 ILRS Technical Workshop First Circular Released - The first circular for the 2019 ILRS Technical Workshop has been released. The workshop will take place October 21-25 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Second Circular for the 2019 LARES/LARES-2 Workshop Released - The Second Circular for the meeting has been released and conatins information on registration, conference fees, partial support, awards, conference location and hotels. The workshop will take place in Rome, Italy July 01-05. Please visit the workshop website for the information contained in the circular.

Jan McGarry gives SGSLR presentation to GSFC Astronomy Club - Jan McGarry gave a presentation to the GSFC Astronomy Club on April 09, 2019 highlighting the initial development and testing of the SGSLR system at Goddard’s Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory (GGAO). The talk also included background on SLR and NASA’s legacy SLR network, as well as the ILRS and SGP and future plans for the global deployment of SGSLR systems.

Commercial power to TLRS-4 at Haleakala restored - A winter storm damaged commercial power transmission lines to the observatories on Haleakala, Hawaii, USA on February 10, 2019. Commercial power to TLRS-4 at Haleakala has been restored.

Etalon-1 and -2 tracking campaign - SLR has the opportunity to play a more significant role on the determination of Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), an important element in the reference frame and parameters for many of our customers. With our improving ability to track GNSS satellites, we are conducting a 3-month Etalon campaign, from February 15 through May 15, 2019. Weekly reports are now available.