|
|||||
|
|
Fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology with the MAGIA lunar orbiter |
|
| Authors: | Simone Dell??Agnello Caterina Lops Giovanni O Delle Monache Douglas G Currie Manuele Martini Roberto Vittori Angioletta Coradini Cesare Dionisio Marco Garattini Alessandro Boni Claudio Cantone Riccardo March Giovanni Bellettini Roberto Tauraso Mauro Maiello Luca Porcelli Simone Berardi Nicola Intaglietta |
| Institution: | 1. INFN??Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (LNF), via E. Fermi 40, 00044, Frascati, RM, Italy 2. Department of Physics, University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, MD, 20742, USA 3. Aeronautica Militare Italiana, Rome, Italy 4. INAF??Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario (IFSI), via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy 5. Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A., via Affile 102, 00131, Rome, Italy 6. INFN??LNF and CNR-Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo (IAC), viale del Policlinico 137, 00161, Rome, Italy 7. INFN??LNF and Department of Mathematics, University of Rome ??Tor Vergata??, via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy |
| Abstract: | MAGIA is a mission approved by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for Phase A study. Using a single large-diameter laser retroreflector, a large laser retroreflector array and an atomic clock onboard MAGIA we propose to perform several fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology experiments: VESPUCCI, an improved test of the gravitational redshift in the Earth?CMoon system predicted by General Relativity; MoonLIGHT-P, a precursor test of a second generation Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) payload for precision gravity and lunar science measurements under development for NASA, ASI and robotic missions of the proposed International Lunar Network (ILN); Selenocenter (the center of mass of the Moon), the determination of the position of the Moon center of mass with respect to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame/System (ITRF/ITRS); this will be compared to the one from Apollo and Lunokhod retroreflectors on the surface; MapRef, the absolute referencing of MAGIA??s lunar altimetry, gravity and geochemical maps with respect to the ITRF/ITRS. The absolute positioning of MAGIA will be achieved thanks to: (1) the laboratory characterization of the retroreflector performance at INFN-LNF; (2) the precision tracking by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), which gives two fundamental contributions to the ITRF/ITRS, i.e. the metrological definition of the geocenter (the Earth center of mass) and of the scale of length; (3) the radio science and accelerometer payloads; (4) support by the ASI Space Geodesy Center in Matera, Italy. Future ILN geodetic nodes equipped with MoonLIGHT and the Apollo/Lunokhod retroreflectors will become the first realization of the International Moon Reference Frame (IMRF), the lunar analog of the ITRF. |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ | |