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How NASA uses simple technology to track lunar missions

How NASA uses simple technology to track lunar missions

This photograph shows a mockup laser retroreflector array (LRA) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, demonstrating the basic design: a metallic semi-hemispheric disk, with eight silica glass cubes embedded in its surface. NASA/Goddard

NASA is using a simple but effective technology called Laser Retroreflective Arrays (LRAs) to determine the locations of lunar landers more accurately. They will be attached to most of the landers from United States companies as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) initiative. LRAs are inexpensive, small, and lightweight, allowing future lunar orbiters or landers to locate them on the moon.

These devices consist of a small aluminum hemisphere, 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter and 0.7 ounces (20 grams) in weight, inset with eight 0.5-inch-diameter (1.27-centimeter) corner cube retroreflectors made of fused silica glass. LRAs are targeted for inclusion on most of the upcoming CLPS deliveries headed to the lunar surface.

LRAs

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The ancient technology keeping space missions alive

The ancient technology keeping space missions alive

4 June 1996, European space port, French Guiana…

It took more than 10 years to design and build Europe’s four identical Cluster satellites for launch; and just 39 seconds to lose them all in an enormous fireball.

Their remains rained down over the South American jungle as the Ariane 5 rocket veered off course and exploded. VIPs who had been sipping champagne on the outdoor viewing gallery moments earlier were ushered back inside to avoid being injured by the falling debris.

The disaster was one of the European Space Agency’s (Esa) most visible and spectacular failures. But within months, work had begun on a replacement mission, Cluster II.

Designed to fly in formation to investigate the interaction between charged particles from the Sun – the solar wind ­– and the magnetic bubble surrounding the Earth, known as the magnetosphere, Cluster II ranks as one of the most successful and long-lasting

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