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The first experiments on laser ranging of the Moon (To the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon)

Transactions of IAA RAS, issue 53, 30–37 (2020)

Keywords: Moon, laser ranging, retroreflector, space station, “Luna-17”, “Lunokhod-1”, “Lunokhod-2”

Abstract

On November 10, 1970 a soft landing on the Moon of the Soviet space station Luna-17 with the world's first selfpropelled vehicle Lunokhod-1 took place. A Soviet-French laser retroreflector was installed on board Lunokhod-1 to conduct space experiments on the lunar laser ranging (LLR). Prior to that, on July 16-21, 1969, the American Apollo 11 lander was launched and delivered to the Moon. In total, during 1969–1973 five retroreflectors (3 USA and 2 USSR) were installed on the lunar surface, including the retroreflector of Lunokhod-2. With the use of these retroreflectors, LLR has been carried out for more than 50 years and, more than 27000 observations (normal points) have been obtained. The accuracy of LLR observations of the Moon during this period has increased by several orders of magnitude. An analysis of the series of observations obtained showed that this is one of the most effective methods for studying the Moon, and in the near future, possibly other objects of the Solar System. All the modern high precision lunar ephemeris are built on the basis of LLR observations, and of particular interest is their use to study the Moon's rotation associated with the peculiarities of its internal structure, gravitational field, mass distribution on the Moon and the tidal phenomena. The paper deals with the description of the history and technical details of the first Soviet LLR experiments and is timed to the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon.

Citation

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A. V. Ipatov, L. A. Vedeshin. The first experiments on laser ranging of the Moon (To the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon) // Transactions of IAA RAS. — 2020. — Issue 53. — P. 30–37.

@article{ipatov2020,
  abstract = {On November 10, 1970 a soft landing on the Moon of the Soviet space station Luna-17 with the world's first selfpropelled vehicle Lunokhod-1 took place. A Soviet-French laser retroreflector was installed on board Lunokhod-1 to conduct space experiments on the lunar laser ranging (LLR). Prior to that, on July 16-21, 1969, the American Apollo 11 lander was launched and delivered to the Moon. In total, during 1969–1973 five retroreflectors (3 USA and 2 USSR) were installed on the lunar surface, including the retroreflector of Lunokhod-2. With the use of these retroreflectors, LLR has been carried out for more than 50 years and, more than 27000 observations (normal points) have been obtained. The accuracy of LLR observations of the Moon during this period has increased by several orders of magnitude. An analysis of the series of observations obtained showed that this is one of the most effective methods for studying the Moon, and in the near future, possibly other objects of the Solar System. All the modern high precision lunar ephemeris are built on the basis of LLR observations, and of particular interest is their use to study the Moon's rotation associated with the peculiarities of its internal structure, gravitational field, mass distribution on the Moon and the tidal phenomena. The paper deals with the description of the history and technical details of the first Soviet LLR experiments and is timed to the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon.},
  author = {A.~V. Ipatov and L.~A. Vedeshin},
  doi = {10.32876/ApplAstron.53.30-37},
  issue = {53},
  journal = {Transactions of IAA RAS},
  keyword = {Moon, laser ranging, retroreflector, space station, “Luna-17”, “Lunokhod-1”, “Lunokhod-2”},
  pages = {30--37},
  title = {The first experiments on laser ranging of the Moon (To the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon)},
  url = {http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2047/},
  year = {2020}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - The first experiments on laser ranging of the Moon (To the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon)
AU  - Ipatov, A. V.
AU  - Vedeshin, L. A.
PY  - 2020
T2  - Transactions of IAA RAS
IS  - 53
SP  - 30
AB  - On November 10, 1970 a soft landing on the Moon of the Soviet space
station Luna-17 with the world's first selfpropelled vehicle
Lunokhod-1 took place. A Soviet-French laser retroreflector was
installed on board Lunokhod-1 to conduct space experiments on the
lunar laser ranging (LLR). Prior to that, on July 16-21, 1969, the
American Apollo 11 lander was launched and delivered to the Moon. In
total, during 1969–1973 five retroreflectors (3 USA and 2 USSR) were
installed on the lunar surface, including the retroreflector of
Lunokhod-2. With the use of these retroreflectors, LLR has been
carried out for more than 50 years and, more than 27000 observations
(normal points) have been obtained. The accuracy of LLR observations
of the Moon during this period has increased by several orders of
magnitude. An analysis of the series of observations obtained showed
that this is one of the most effective methods for studying the Moon,
and in the near future, possibly other objects of the Solar System.
All the modern high precision lunar ephemeris are built on the basis
of LLR observations, and of particular interest is their use to study
the Moon's rotation associated with the peculiarities of its internal
structure, gravitational field, mass distribution on the Moon and the
tidal phenomena. The paper deals with the description of the history
and technical details of the first Soviet LLR experiments and is
timed to the 50th anniversary of the Lunokhod-1 landing on the Moon.
DO  - 10.32876/ApplAstron.53.30-37
UR  - http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2047/
ER  -