Laser Ranging to the Lost Lunokhod~1 Reflector

Details Laser Ranging to the Lost Lunokhod~1 Reflector Laser Ranging to the Lost Lunokhod~1 Reflector

2010-09-28

arxiv.org/abs/1009.5720v2

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

11 pages, 1 figure (color), submitted to Icarus; revision addresses reviewer comments

Scientific paper

In 1970, the Soviet Lunokhod 1 rover delivered a French-built laser reflector to the Moon. Although a few range measurements were made within three months of its landing, these measurements---and any that may have followed---are unpublished and unavailable. The Lunokhod 1 reflector was, therefore, effectively lost until March of 2010 when images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) provided a positive identification of the rover and determined its coordinates with uncertainties of about 100 m. This allowed the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-ranging Operation (APOLLO) to quickly acquire a laser signal. The reflector appears to be in excellent condition, delivering a signal roughly four times stronger than its twin reflector on the Lunokhod 2 rover. The Lunokhod 1 reflector is especially valuable for science because it is closer to the Moon's limb than any of the other reflectors and, unlike the Lunokhod 2 reflector, we find that it is usable during the lunar day. We report the selenographic position of the reflector to few-centimeter accuracy, comment on the health of the reflector, and illustrate the value of this reflector for achieving science goals.

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