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Recent News

This page contains all recent ILRS news. For those interested in news specific to satellite missions, please visit our Mission News page.

image of the city of Kunming, China The 23rd International Workshop on Laser Ranging, Kunming - China, Oct.20th–26th, 2024 Release Date: 03/11/2024 The Yunnan Observatories and the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) are pleased to announce that the 23rd International Workshop on Laser Ranging will be held in Kunming, China during 20-26 October 2024.

image of the city of Kunming, China


More details can be found in the workshop website online with the link below:

https://23rdworkshop.casconf.cn/

We look forward to your participation!

photo of Dr. Manuel Catalan Morollon Passing of Spanish Navy Observatory researcher Dr. Manuel Catalán Morollón Release Date: 01/12/2024 We are sad to report that Spanish Navy Observatory researcher Dr. Manuel Catalán Morollón passed away on December 12 after a bout with cancer. Dr. Morollón, as leader of the San Fernando SLR Station, spearheaded the recent modernization of the SLR system to improve performance. He was a very active researcher in several Earth Science disciplines; he was dedicated to his work and remained active right up until the end. He was a strong supporter of ILRS and a good friend. He will be greatly missed.



image of a Laser Retroreflector ArrayNASA Laser Reflecting Instruments to Help Pinpoint Earth Measurements Release Date: 12/08/2023 The best known use of GPS satellites is to help people know their location whether driving a car, navigating a ship or plane, or trekking across remote territory. Another important, but lesser-known, use is to distribute information to other Earth-viewing satellites to help them pinpoint measurements of our planet.

NASA and several other federal agencies, including the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency are improving the location accuracy of these measurements down to the millimeter with a new set of laser retroreflector arrays, or LRAs.

"The primary benefit of laser ranging and LRAs is to improve the geolocation of all of our Earth observations," said Stephen Merkowitz, project manager for NASA's Space Geodesy Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Read more on nasa.gov...

Banner for the 2023 International Workshop on Laser Ranging2023 Virtual International Workshop on Laser RangingRelease Date: 09/27/2023 The 2023 Virtual International Workshop on Laser Ranging will take place during the week of October 16th-20th, 2023. This year, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are not able to hold the Specialized International Workshop on Laser Raging in Arequipa, Peru as planned. However, we do think it will be advantageous to give the community an opportunity to get together to discuss updates on pertinent topics, and exchange ideas. Sessions are being organized primarily around invited talks, but presentations on new concepts and new technologies are welcome.

The Workshop's Theme is "New Developments in Satellite Laser Ranging", and it will be focused on new materials and new results.

Program Organizing Committee:
Michael Pearlman, ILRS Central Bureau Director
Claudia Carabajal, ILRS Central Bureau Secretary
Matt Wilkinson, Networks and Engineering Standing Committee Co-Chair
José Rodriguez, Missions Standing Committee Co-Chair
Robert Sherwood, Missions Standing Committee Co-Chair
Michael Steindorfer, Space Debris Study Group Chair
Emiliano Cordelli, European Space Agency (ESA) Space Debris Study Group
Clément Courde, LLR and Transponders Standing Committee Chair
Nicholas Colmenares, LLR and Transponders Standing Committee
Stephen Merkowitz, LLR and Transponders Standing Committee
Mathis Blossfeld, Analysis Standing Committee Co-Chair
David Sarrocco, Analysis Standing Committee
Frank Lemoine, NASA ILRS Central Bureau
Jeff Dorman, NASA Networks Manager

Program topics will include Missions & Applications, New technology/Systems and Operations, Analysis, including available analysis tools, error modeling, etc., Space Debris and Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) and Transponders.

There are no registration fees.
Participants interested in presenting should register by September 29th, 2023.
Non-Presenters' Registrations will be accepted until October 6th, 2023.

Details on the Program will be published at a later date, as the sessions are being organized. Invitations for the Virtual Sessions using Microsoft Teams will be sent to registrants.

Visit the 2023 Virtual IWLR Website for updates: https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/lw23/index.html

GGOS logoFilm titled "Terrestrial Reference Frames --- Connecting the World Through Geodesy" releasedRelease Date: 09/12/2023 The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) Coordinating Office, together with the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) have released a new educational film, titled "Terrestrial Reference Frames --- Connecting the World Through Geodesy", which shows the great importance of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) for society. The film is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Dutch and Bulgarian. Many colleagues of the geodetic services contributed to this video led by Zuheir Altamimi (IGN, France), Allison Craddock (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA), & Martin Sehnal (Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (BEV), Austria).

Terrestrial Reference Frames film - You Tube link: https://bit.ly/trf-film

Please share this video with your colleagues, friends and family and on social media to highlight the work of the geodetic services, including the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) on the definition of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF).

IAG logoIUGG/IAG NewsRelease Date: 08/01/2023 During the recent International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) held in Berlin, Germany, at the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) Closing Session, Dr. Graham Appleby and Dr. Toshimichi Otsubo, both former ILRS GB Chairs, were inducted as 2023 Fellows of the IAG.

Dr. Vincenza Luceri, Chair of the ILRS Analysis Center Standing Committee, was elected as a member of the IAG Executive Committee for the 2023-2027 Term.

Our congratulations to all three, and our thanks for their continued contribution to the IAG and the geodetic community.

Dr. Graham Appleby and Dr. Toshimichi Otsubo at the podium.
Sign with photos of the IAG Executive Committee.

List of analysis centers that contributed to the SLRF2020 productThe SLR-tailored version of ITRF2020, the SLRF2020, has been released to the publicRelease Date: 07/25/2023 The long-awaited SLR-tailored version of ITRF2020, the SLRF2020, has been released to the public, along with the associated Data Handling File required for proper and accurate reduction of SLR data. Both files contain notes that are important to users, especially to those requiring the highest quality results in their work; it is imperative that users read these notes before implementing the new TRF in their production lines.

The two files can be accessed from the ILRS website pages:

https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/dataAnalysisResources/index.html
https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/network/site_information/index.html

CDDIS Landing pages with the appropriate DOIs are here:

https://cddis.nasa.gov/Data_and_Derived_Products/SLR/slrf_2020.html
https://cddis.nasa.gov/Data_and_Derived_Products/SLR/slrf_2020_DHF.html

Journal of Geodesy coverJournal article on ITRF2020 published by the Journal of Geodesy Release Date: 06/22/2023 The journal article full citation is:

Altamimi, Z., Rebischung, P., Collilieux, X., Métivier L., Chanard K. (2023). "ITRF2020: an augmented reference frame refining the modeling of nonlinear station motions". Journal of Geodesy, 97, 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-023-01738-w

The SLR contribution to ITRF2020 consists of 244 fortnightly SINEX solutions for 1983.0—1993.0, based on LAGEOS-1, and 1459 weekly solutions afterwards based on the LAGEOS 1 & 2 and ETALON 1 & 2 satellites. The paper acknowledges the contributions of the Geodetic Observatories and stations, the funding agencies, mapping agencies and space agencies that support space geodesy, and the IAG technique services (including the ILRS) for their contributions.

"The International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) is the result of a global collaboration of hundreds of institutions around the worlds: from the build-up of geodetic observatories, satellite missions, data collection, analysis and combination, to the ITRF generation, thanks to the investment of national mapping agencies, space agencies and universities. We are indebted to all Analysis and Combination Centers of the IAG Technique Services of the four techniques who constantly provide data for ITRF solutions which would not exist without their valuable contributions."

Flyer for LLR WorkshopFirst Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) Meeting, September 14th and 15th, 2023, Pole Astronomie Géoazur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA), CNRS - INSU, Université Côte d'Azur (UCA), France Release Date: 05/10/2023 The first LLR meeting wishes to bring both the producers, the users and the science behind lunar laser ranging together in order to join efforts and resources, to define goals and enhance the visibility for a LLR community, and to identify synergies and to plan for the future. The goal is to encourage every group to help and form a visible global community.

Clément Courde
courde@geoazur.unice.fr

Julien Chabé
chabe@geoazur.unice.fr

image of sea mounts on the ocean floorSLR & DORIS Support the Discovery of 19,000 Undersea Volcanos Using Satellite AltimetryRelease Date: 04/21/2023 A team of scientists has published a new catalog of undersea volcanos, or seamounts, that are derived using ocean radar altimetry data from the satellites Jason-1, Envisat CryoSat-2, and Saral/AltiKa. The altimeter data for this study were obtained primarily from the geodetic missions for these satellites. In the geodetic missions, the satellites flew so that successive ground tracks were aligned close together. This facilitated the mapping of the ocean geoid.The data from these most recent satellite missions have improved the ability to find previously undetected seamounts, from how the mass of the seamounts perturbs the shape of the ocean surface.

The new map will aid studies of marine tectonics, geology, ecology and ocean mixing.

This discovery was supported by Precise Orbit Determination (POD), including Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), and DORIS for Jason-1, Envisat, CryoSat-2, and Saral/ALtiKa whose altimeter data contributed to the results of this new study.

More information:
Overview article in Science magazine, April 19, 2023:
https://www.science.org/content/article/it-s-just-mind-boggling-more-19-000-undersea-volcanoes-discovered

Scientific publication, published March 20, 2023:
Gevorgian J., Sandwell D., Yu Y., Kim S.-S. and Wessel P. (2023). "Global distribution and morphology of small seamounts". Earth and Space Science, 10, e2022EA002331.
https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002331

Tsukuba stationOpening ceremony held at the SLR Station in Tsukuba, Japan (ID: 7306, Code: TKBL)Release Date: 04/06/2023 Shinichi Nakamura, the manager of the new JAXA Tsukuba SLR station reports that the development phase has been completed. The new SLR station is located in Tsukuba, southern Ibaraki Prefecture, about 50 km from central Tokyo. JAXA held the opening ceremony of the station on March 30, 2023. A total of 36 people attended the ceremony, including representatives of the Japanese Coast Guard, Hitotsubashi University, the University of Tokyo, the JAXA director, and many JAXA satellite project managers. Dr. Stephen Merkowitz, Chair of the ILRS Governing Board, gave a congratulatory speech on the opening of the station, which added to the festivities. With the guidance of the ILRS, the SLR Tsukuba station was assigned the station ID: 7306, and Code: TKBL. The JAXA Tsukuba station staff are proud that the new station will be a member of the ILRS network and look forward to contributing to space development and science through SLR operations. In April, 2023, trial operation will be held to familiarize JAXA staff and full operation is scheduled to start in May 2023.

The ILRS congratulates the JAXA team on the commissioning of this new SLR station.

Opening ceremony of the SLR Station in Tsukuba, Japan (ID: 7306, Code: TKBL), held on March 30, 2023 [Images courtesy JAXA/Shinichi Nakamura].



CDDIS logoRemoval of Satellite Daily and Hourly Files older than 6 months - data holdings clean-upRelease Date: 03/31/2023 Dear ILRS Community,

The CDDIS has been working to provide clarity to new users of the archive and to reduce redundant data. With this effort, the CDDIS plans to take the following steps over the next few weeks:

  1. Remove satellite daily and allsat hourly files older than 6 months. The data will still be available in satellite monthly and allsat daily files.
  2. Move format transition data files to the quarantine directory. Specifically, CRD V1 data prior to May 1, 2012 and after August 1, 2022 will be moved to quarantine.
  3. Removal of corrupt FRD Files; these files will be removed and not replaced:

    • allsat_20120510.frd
    • allsat_20120518.frd
    • allsat_20120528.frd
    • allsat_20150827.frd.gz
    • allsat_20151102.frd.gz
    • allsat_20151122.frd.gz
    • allsat_20151221.frd.gz
    • allsat_20151230.frd.gz
    • ajisai_20151130.frd.gz
    • ajisai_20151207.frd.gz
Please let us know if you have any questions about these changes. Thank you!

Justine Woo (she/her)
SLR Operations, Software Development
Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS)
NASA GSFC, Code 61A
Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
justine.y.woo@nasa.gov


IWLR 2022 logo22nd International Workshop on Laser Ranging (IWLR) in Guadalajara, Spain - November 7-11, 2022 - Session Videos Available for viewingRelease Date: 03/03/2023 We are pleased to announce that the recordings for the 22nd International Workshop on Laser Ranging (IWLR) held in Guadalajara, Spain, are available for viewing. This is the first time that a full ILRS workshop is made available in video. This, together with the ILRS Virtual World Tours 2020 and 2021, all the events organized by the ILRS in the last three years are publicly accessible to everyone.

The 22nd IWLR was organized by the Observatory of Yebes, the National Geographic Institute of Spain (IGN/CNIG), and the ILRS. Over 170 delegates from 20 different countries participated in the conference, which took place on 7–11 November 2022. With the theme "Reconnecting the ILRS community", this event was for the first time in a hybrid in person/online format. The conference was a great opportunity for the experts in the various SLR-related fields to meet, discuss, and exchange ideas and new developments.

The video recordings of the conference include the talks from all the 10 Main Sessions; the presentations kindly given by the invited speakers; and the meetings of the ILRS Standing Committees on Data Formats & Proceedings, Networks & Engineering, and Missions. The Opening and Closing sessions, including the SLR Pioneers Awards, are all available for viewing as well.

You can access the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/@22ndIWLR

We thank the Local Organizing Committee for making and sharing the recordings of the conference possible.

image of a laser beam"Leaders in Lidar" Video Series Release Date: 02/03/2023 For those interested in the Legacy of Goddard's lead role in laser altimetry, you can view the recently released "Leaders in Lidar" Series (All Episodes – Youtube).
"In this series, we dive into the legacy of Goddard's lead role in developing laser altimetry, which has revolutionized the way we map our planet, the Moon and other planets. Each chapter looks at the successes and failures of these lidar instruments, beginning with the Mars Observer Laser Altimeter in the late 1980s, through the current generation of laser altimeters on ICESat-2 and GEDI. Through dozens of interviews and archival footage, the history, challenges and legacy of lidar are uncovered."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w06s8x-0smE

ILRS logoAnnouncing the 2023-2024 ILRS Governing BoardRelease Date: 02/03/2023 Elections for the 2023-2024 ILRS Governing Board (GB) concluded in December of 2022.
The new ILRS GB took office on January 01, 2023

These are the eighteen members of the Board

Newly elected ILRS GB Chairperson: Stephen Merkowitz (NASA/GSFC, USA)

Four ex-officio/appointed members of the Board:
Director of the Central Bureau - Mike Pearlman (Harvard U., USA)
Secretary of the Central Bureau - Claudia Carabajal (SSAI @ NASA/GSFC, USA)
Representative of IAG Commission - Urs Hugentobler (TUM, Germany)
IERS Representative - Daniela Thaller (BKG, Germany)

Twelve elected members of the Board:
EUROLAS Network Representatives - Sven Bauer (DIGOS, Germany), Jose Rodriquez (Yebes Observatory, IGN, Spain)
NASA Network Representatives - Evan Hoffman (NASA/GSFC, USA), Stephen Merkowitz (NASA/GSFC, USA)
WPLTN Representatives - James Bennett (EOS Space Systems Pty. Ltd., Australia), Zhang Zhongping (SHAO, China)
Data Center Representative – Justine Woo (SSAI @ NASA/GSFC, USA)
LLR Representative – Clément Courde (Geoazur, France)
Analysis Representatives – Vincenza Luceri (E-GOST, Italy), Mathis Blossfeld (TUM, Germany)
At-Large Representatives – Matthew Wilkinson (NERC/NSGF, UK), Christian Schwatke (TUM, Germany)

Two appointed At-Large Representatives of the Board:
Randall Carman (Geoscience Australia), Takehiro Matsumoto (JAXA, Japan)

Congratulations to all those elected!

We thank Toshimichi Otsubo for his dedication as the ILRS GB Chair for the 2021-2022 term.
We also thank all previous members of the ILRS GB for your service to the ILRS.
We look forward to your continued participation on ILRS activities and Workshops, Standing Committees and Study Groups.

ILRS logoData centers ceased accepting CRD and CPF Format V1 files January 1, 2023Release Date: 01/25/2023 The ILRS DF&PSC announced at the International Workshop on Laser Ranging (IWLR) that the data centers would cease accepting CRD and CPF Format V1 files beginning January 1, 2023. The CPF files transitioned from version 1 to version 2 on March 1, 2022 and CRD files transitioned from version 1 to version 2 on August 1, 2022. If you have not had the chance to change over your scripts, please find the new files available at:



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