On orbit performance of the GRACE Follow-On Laser Ranging Interferometer
2019
The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) instrument on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission has provided the first laser interferometric range measurements between remote
spacecraft, separated by approximately 220 km. Autonomous controls that lock the laser frequency to a cavity reference and establish the 5 degree of freedom two-way laser link between remote
spacecraftsucceeded on the first attempt. Active beam pointing based on differential wavefront sensing compensates
spacecraftattitude fluctuations. The LRI has operated continuously without breaks in phase tracking for more than 50 days, and has shown biased range measurements similar to the primary ranging instrument based on microwaves, but with much less noise at a level of $1\,{\rm nm}/\sqrt{\rm Hz}$ at Fourier frequencies above 100 mHz.
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