Centimetre precision eye-safe satellite laser ranging using a Raman-shifted Nd:YAG laser and germanium photon counter

Abstract

Centimetre precision eye-safe satellite laser ranging has been applied, for the first time, to a wide range of satellites using a Raman-shifted picosecond Nd:YAG laser operating at 1543 nm and a germanium photon-counting detector. The ranging has been accomplished for retro-reflector equipped satellites up to a distance of 30 000 km. The experiment paves the way for the deployment of eye-safe lasers in space applications.