Two-Way Laser Link over Interplanetary Distance

摘要: Here we report timed observations with subnanosecond precision of short laser pulses at a distance nearly 24 million kilometers between the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) aboard MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft NASA Goddard Geophysical Astronomical Observatory (GGAO). Forty MLA downlink 90 uplink were obtained during observing sessions on 27 31 May 2005. Precise standard ground timing allowed solution for range, range rate, acceleration, as well clock bias. This experiment established new record detection accomplished two-way link an interplanetary distance.