Effect of structural recession on the performance of a satellite laser retroreflector

Satellite laser retroreflector (LRR) array is an essential reflecting element for satellite laser ranging. Because of the requirements of manufacturing and assembling, the actual LRR reflecting face is placed underneath the top of assembly. We use the ray tracing method to build up the active retroreflecting region model for LRR with a structural recession effect. Combined with the principle of far-field diffraction intensity and velocity aberration, we give the mathematical model for expressing the structural recession effect on the received optical signal intensity (ROSI) by a ground station. As an important factor for determining the performance of LRR, the distribution of ROSI is simulated for an HY-2A LRR array. The simulation shows that the value of ROSI decreases along with the increment of structural recession size. The bigger optical incident angle should bring about further reduction of ROSI. Only considering the structural recession effect on ROSI, we obtain the regularity of difference of range correction. Before and after considering the structural recession effect, the maximum difference of range correction reaches 9.36 mm for the whole incidence condition. It demonstrates that structural recession cannot be ignored for deciding the performance of LRR. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.