China pioneers daytime satellite laser ranging in Earth moon space
The milestone was reached by a team led by Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), who on Sunday captured a laser return signal from the Tiandu-1 satellite. The satellite, located approximately 130,000 kilometers from Earth, reflected the laser using its onboard retroreflector. The experiment was performed using a newly upgraded near-infrared lunar laser ranging system on a 1.2-meter telescope.
Researcher Li Yuqiang confirmed that this achievement marks the first time any team has captured such a signal during daylight hours in Earth-moon space, representing a critical advancement in deep-space orbit measurement. The success hinges on overcoming strong solar background noise that typically overwhelms laser signals during the day.
This technological development strengthens China's capability in precise navigation and positioning between the Earth and moon. It is also expected to support future deep-space initiatives, including contributions to the proposed International Lunar Research Station.
The research consortium comprises scientists from the Deep Space Exploration Lab, Yunnan Observatories, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Sun Yat-sen University, the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, and the Beijing Aerospace Control Center.
Tiandu-1, a test satellite for communication and navigation technologies, was launched on March 20, 2024, and continues to orbit in the Earth-moon corridor.
Related Links
Yunnan Astronomical Observatory
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