Related papers: Millimeter Laser Ranging to the Moon: a comprehens…
The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna (LGWA) is a proposed array of next-generation inertial sensors to monitor the response of the Moon to gravitational waves (GWs). Given the size of the Moon and the expected noise produced by the lunar…
Lunar retro-reflector arrays (LRAs) consisting of corner-cube reflectors (CCRs) placed on the nearside of the Moon during the Apollo era have demonstrated their longevity, cost-effectiveness, ease of deployment, and most importantly their…
The active broadband (1 kHz-100 MHz) tripole antenna now envisaged to be placed on the European Lunar Lander located at the Lunar South Pole allows for sensitive measurements of the exosphere and ionosphere, and their interaction with the…
This paper discusses new fundamental physics experiment that will test relativistic gravity at the accuracy better than the effects of the second order in the gravitational field strength, $\propto G^2$. The Laser Astrometric Test Of…
Lunar time metrology necessitates a unified temporal framework beyond Earth, requiring an independent lunar system for timekeeping, dissemination, and calendrics. Recent American publications define Lunar Coordinate Time (LTC) within…
The visual detection and tracking of surface terrain is required for spacecraft to safely land on or navigate within close proximity to celestial objects. Current approaches rely on template matching with pre-gathered patch-based features,…
Crater counting on the Moon and other bodies is crucial to constrain the dynamical history of the Solar System. This has traditionally been done by visual inspection of images, thus limiting the scope, efficiency, and/or accuracy of…
This research explores the enhancement of lunar landing precision through an advanced structured light system, integrating machine learning, Iterative Learning Control (ILC) and Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) techniques. By…
The lunar surface is a compelling location for large, distributed optical facilities, with significant advantages over orbital facilities for high spatial resolution astrophysics. The serious development of mission concepts is timely…
The paper discusses the optimal conguration of one or more ring lasers to be used for measuring the general relativistic effects of the rotation of the earth, as manifested on the surface of the planet. The analysis is focused on devices…
In this Chapter we deal with the attempts to measure the general relativistic gravitomagnetic Lense-Thirring effect with the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) technique applied to the existing LAGEOS and LAGEOS II terrestrial satellites and to…
Modern astrometry is based on angular measurements at the micro-arcsecond level. At this accuracy a fully general relativistic treatment of the data reduction is required. This paper concludes a series of articles dedicated to the problem…
The lunar surface allows a unique way forward in cosmology, to go beyond current limits. The far side provides an unexcelled radio-quiet environment for probing the dark ages via 21 cm interferometry to seek elusive clues on the nature of…
Deep-space laser ranging will be ideal for testing relativistic gravity, and mapping the solar-system to an unprecedented accuracy. ASTROD (Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices) and ASTROD I are such missions.…
This paper primarily investigates the effect of the tilt of corner cube reflector (CCR) arrays on lunar laser ranging (LLR). A mathematical model was established to study the random errors caused by the tilt of the CCR arrays. The study…
Understanding telescope pointing (i.e., line of sight) is important for observing the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and astronomical objects. The Moon is a candidate astronomical source for pointing calibration. Although the visible…
By volume, more than 99% of the solar system has not been imaged at radio frequencies. Almost all of this space (the solar wind) can be traversed by fast electrons producing radio emissions at frequencies lower than the terrestrial…
The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) presents a novel concept for observing gravitational waves from astrophysical sources at sub-Hertz frequencies. Compared to the Earth, the seismic environment of the moon, while uncertain, is…
Because of lunar librations, the retroreflectors left on the moon do not, in general, face directly at the Earth. Usually this is regarded as a disadvantage. It results in a spread of arrival times, because each cube that comprises the…
We outline a concept for OWL-Moon, a 50-100m aperture telescope located on the surface of the Moon, to address three major areas in astronomy, namely the detection of biosignatures on habitable exoplanets, the geophysics of exoplanets, and…