Scientific Research Through Laser Ranging
The ILRS supports scientific research and data analysis using Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging data and their products. The aim of these activities is primarily focused on geodetic and geophysical parameter estimation and geophysical model development. Furthermore, the main thrust of these activities addresses the needs of IERS with products that contribute to the development of an ever more accurate International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). The unique ability of ILRS to sense the Earth System center of mass with high accuracy, makes these products invaluable in the development of the ITRF, the prime product is the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). The ILRS data and products are collected and generated under strict standards and they contribute to a wide range of scientific, engineering, and operational applications and experimentation.
In addition to collecting, merging, archiving and distributing Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) the ILRS interacts with the other IAG (Int. Assoc. of Geodesy) services under the GGOS umbrella, to harmonize the standards and conventions used for its operations and its data analysis and product generation activities. These activities are coordinated, supervised and validated by the Analysis Working Group, with the support of all Analysis Centers and Associate Analysis Centers. The official products of the ILRS are produced by the Combination Centers (primary and back-up) to ensure a unique product for the users with the highest accuracy and fully validated prior to its release. The service encourages international collaboration and strives to include as many different groups from various countries as possible, with a similar variety in the utilized software.
Recent News
More details can be found in the workshop website online with the link below:
https://23rdworkshop.casconf.cn/
We look forward to your participation!
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...