Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 48: Laseranwendungen: opt. Messtechnik

Q 48.1: Group Report

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 14:00–14:30, V38.01

Development of a test setup for the Grace follow-on laser ranging instrument — •Daniel Schütze, Vitali Müller, Benjamin Sheard, Oliver Gerberding, Christoph Mahrdt, Marina Dehne, Gunnar Stede, Nils Brause, Gerhard Heinzel, and Karsten Danzmann — Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik / Leibniz Universität Hannover (Albert-Einstein-Institut)

GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) is a joint NASA/DLR mission which successfully collects data about spatial and temporal variations in the gravity field of the earth. In 2016, a GRACE follow-on mission will be launched. In addition to the conventional microwave ranging system, the GRACE follow-on satellites will also contain a laser ranging instrument to improve the inter-satellite distance measurements. Essential parts of the laser ranging instrument are a triple-mirror-assembly to establish an interferometric racetrack between the satellites and a steering mirror setup to account for satellite pointing. A laboratory test setup of the GRACE follow-on interferometer is presented with which these key components shall be tested.