Questions tagged [retroreflector]
The retroreflector tag has no usage guidance.
12
questions
25
votes
4
answers
12k
views
Does the International Space Station get TV?
For obvious reasons the ISS cannot get cable TV. Can the ISS get the new digital air TV or satellite TV using an issued dish and receiver like a house? How would that be done compared to how it is ...
7
votes
1
answer
271
views
Planetary Society's LightSail Spacecraft's corner cube reflectors; how large, and corrected for aberration?
The Planetary Society's new 3U cubesat LightSail spacecraft (mentioned in this answer) has corner-cube retroreflectors on on the 10x10 cm +z end, facing directly away from the sail, which will be ...
7
votes
0
answers
328
views
Have LAGEOS' germanium corner cube reflectors ever been used?
When I was writing this answer about the LAGEOS satellites, I notices that four of the over four hundred corner reflectors are made of optical germanium rather than fused silica.
Fused silica (FS) ...
5
votes
2
answers
536
views
How soon after "The Eagle" landed did they first attempt to bounce a laser off the Moon? When did it first succeed?
The question When did Houston figure out where the Eagle had landed? says (in part):
During Apollo 11's stay on the surface, Michael Collins was given seven different locations to look for the ...
4
votes
1
answer
260
views
Why do the LAGEOS' satellites have four germanium corner cube reflectors out of over 400?
When I was writing this answer about the LAGEOS satellites, I noticed that only four of the over four hundred corner reflectors are made of optical germanium rather than fused silica.
Fused silica (...
3
votes
1
answer
145
views
How will The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 Spacecraft's retroreflectors be used?
For more information and links on The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 and its corner cube retroreflectors, see the question Planetary Society's LightSail Spacecraft's corner cube reflectors; how large,...
3
votes
0
answers
105
views
Are there any possible proxies for dust accumulation on the retroreflectors on the moon?
New York Times' How Do You Solve a Moon Mystery? Fire a Laser at It links to the new open access paper First two-way laser ranging to a lunar orbiter: infrared observations from the Grasse station to ...
2
votes
1
answer
227
views
How will the corner cube retroreflector array be used on Sentinel 3B?
The Spaceflight Now article Photos: Sentinel 3B satellite prepared for launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome has of course lots of photos. One of them shows a dish antenna covered with shiny, metallized ...
1
vote
1
answer
133
views
Could Beresheet's retroreflector array (still) be used?
Almost the same question as Could Schiaparelli's retroreflector array (still) be used? except for Beresheet.
Some important differences in this case:
Beresheet was far less "crashed" than ...
1
vote
1
answer
238
views
What exactly is a "Next Generation Lunar Reflector"? Difference in design and performance?
Space.com's 50 Years After Apollo, India Is Carrying a NASA Laser Reflector to the Moon (And It's Only the Start) is a little confusing because it talks about three retroreflectors:
- Apollo era ...
1
vote
1
answer
610
views
Could Schiaparelli's retroreflector array (still) be used?
update 2: It appears Schiaparelli has already been located by satellite. This still represents the first laser ranging retroreflector array deployed beyond the Earth-Moon system! So assuming it is now ...
-4
votes
1
answer
274
views
What was the point of the laser reflectors which were placed on the Moon with the Apollo landings? [closed]
Until today, I had never once heard anyone ever mention these "reflectors" which apparently were placed on the Moon at the landing site in order to verify from Earth that humans were there.
On https:/...