Performance Analysis of the First Korean Satellite Laser Ranging System

• Main Authors: Man-Soo Choi, Hyung-Chul Lim, Eun-Jung Choi, Eunseo Park, Sung-Yeol Yu, Seong-Cheol Bang, Tae-Keun Kim, Young-Rok Kim, Dong-Jin Kim, Kipyung Seong, Neung-Hyun Ka, Cer-Hee Choi, Joo-Yeon Hwang, Daniel Kucharski, In-Woo Han, Jakyoung Nah, Jung-Guen Jang, Bi-Ho Jang, Sang-Jung Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Space Science Society (KSSS) 2014-09-01
• Series: Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• Subjects: SLR station; satellite laser ranging; single-shot ranging precision; space geodesy
• Online Access: http://ocean.kisti.re.kr/downfile/volume/kosss/OJOOBS/2014/v31n3/OJOOBS_2014_v31n3_225.pdf

The first Korean satellite laser ranging (SLR) system, Daedeok SLR station (DAEK station) was developed by Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) in 2012, whose main objectives are space geodesy researches. In consequence, Korea became the 25th country that operates SLR system supplementing the international laser tracking network. The DAEK station is designed to be capable of 2 kHz laser ranging with precision of a few mm both in daytime and nighttime observation of satellites with laser retro-reflector array (LRA) up to the altitude of 25,000 km. In this study, characteristics and specifications of DAEK station are investigated and its data quality is evaluated and compared with International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) stations in terms of single-shot ranging precision. The analysis results demonstrated that the DAEK station shows good ranging performance to a few mm precision. Currently, the DAEK station is under normal operations at KASI headquarters, however, it will be moved to Sejong city in 2014 to function as a fundamental station for space geodesy researches in combination with other space geodesy systems (GNSS, VLBI, DORIS, etc.).