INRRI-EDM/2016: the first laser retroreflector on the surface of Mars

Dell’Agnello, S.; Monache, G. Delle; Porcelli, L.; Boni, A.; Contessa, S.; Ciocci, E.; Martini, M.; Tibuzzi, M.; Intaglietta, N.; Salvatori, L.; Tuscano, P.; Patrizi, G.; Mondaini, C.; Lops, C.; Vittori, R.; Maiello, M.; Flamini, Enrico; Marchetti, E.; Bianco, G. Lo; Mugnuolo, R.; Cantone, C.

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2016.10.011

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Even this experimental approach is affected by technical complexities of the underlying models and of the code for implementing the models [42]. Integrated analytical-numerical approaches (this work and PEP's), strongly aided by an ever-increasing set of experimental metric measurements from new solar system missions (on the Moon, but also on Mars [43]), have the potential to improve our detailed knowledge of the solar system dynamics and of how to use it to probe general relativity.…”

Section: Potentialities Of the Planetary Ephemeris Program Pepmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the foundations of general relativistic celestial mechanics

Battista

Esposito

Dell’Agnello

2017

Int. J. Mod. Phys. A

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Towards the end of nineteenth century, Celestial Mechanics provided the most powerful tools to test Newtonian gravity in the solar system, and led also to the discovery of chaos in modern science. Nowadays, in light of general relativity, Celestial Mechanics leads to a new perspective on the motion of satellites and planets. The reader is here introduced to the modern formulation of the problem of motion, following what the leaders in the field have been teaching since the nineties. In particular, the use of a global chart for the overall dynamics of N bodies and N local charts describing the internal dynamics of each body. The next logical step studies in detail how to split the N-body problem into two sub-problems concerning the internal and external dynamics, how to achieve the effacement properties that would allow a decoupling of the two sub-problems, how to define external-potential-effacing coordinates and how to generalize the Newtonian multipole and tidal moments. The review paper ends with an assessment of the nonlocal equations of motion obtained within such a framework, a description of the modifications induced by general relativity of the theoretical analysis of the Newtonian three-body problem, and a mention of the potentialities of the analysis of solar-system metric data carried out with the Planetary Ephemeris Program.Comment: 26 pages, 1 figur

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Section: Potentialities Of the Planetary Ephemeris Program Pepmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the foundations of general relativistic celestial mechanics

Battista

Esposito

Dell’Agnello

2017

Int. J. Mod. Phys. A

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“…The vibration test system used for this purpose is a standard in the field, manufactured by Sentek Dynamics L1024M-PA115 Vibration Test System. The bearings have been tested with the loads derived by INFN INRRI experiment [16] represented by a random vibration whose test profile is shown in Figure 6. Each random test was preceded and followed by a low level sine swept test for resonance search purpose.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization in Dynamic Load Environment of COTS Synthetic Sapphire Bearings for Application in Magnetic Suspension in Space

et al. 2021

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The present research investigates the application of a cardan suspension making use of permanent magnet (PM) bearings employed to obtain high reliable/low-cost solutions for the permanent alignment of directional payloads such as laser reflectors for the Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector (NGLR) experiment or antennas to be deployed on the moon’s surface. According to Earnshaw’s Theorem, it is not possible to fully stabilize an object using only a stationary magnetic field. It is also necessary to provide axial control of the shaft since the PM bearings support the radial load but, they produce an unstable axial force when losing alignment between the stator and rotor magnets stack. In this work, the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) sapphire as axial bearings in the cardan suspension has been investigated by testing their behavior in response to some of the dynamic loads experienced during the qualification tests for space missions. The work is innovative in the sense that COTS sapphire assembly has never been investigated for space mission qualification. As Artemis mission loads have not been yet provided for NGLR, test loads for this study are those used for the proto-qualification of the INFN INRRI payload for the ESA ExoMars EDM mission. Tests showed that, along the x and y directions, no damages were produced on the sapphire, while, unfortunately, on the z direction both sapphires were badly damaged at nominal loads.

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“…Direct laser ranging from Earth-like for the Moon is not practically feasible. ESA’s ExoMars Schiaparelli, which unfortunately failed its landing in 2016, was carrying a microreflector 153 like the one on InSight. Two additional micro reflectors will be deployed on the surface by NASA’s Perseverance and ESA’s ExoMars rover missions in 2021 and 2023, respectively 154 .…”

Section: Classical and Quantum Linksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…σ ( C C R ) = 10 m and 1 m can be obtained by adding the Earth-Mars orbiter positioning by radio science and the orbiter-reflector positioning by laser ranging/altimetry. This would give significant improvements, since the current accuracy of Mars ephemeris is 50-100 m (see 153 for a discussion). To reach σ ( C C R ) ~ 10 cm, future Earth-Mars orbiter optical links would be required.…”

Section: Classical and Quantum Linksmentioning

confidence: 99%

A way forward for fundamental physics in space

et al. 2022

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Space-based research can provide a major leap forward in the study of key open questions in the fundamental physics domain. They include the validity of Einstein’s Equivalence principle, the origin and the nature of dark matter and dark energy, decoherence and collapse models in quantum mechanics, and the physics of quantum many-body systems. Cold-atom sensors and quantum technologies have drastically changed the approach to precision measurements. Atomic clocks and atom interferometers as well as classical and quantum links can be used to measure tiny variations of the space-time metric, elusive accelerations, and faint forces to test our knowledge of the physical laws ruling the Universe. In space, such instruments can benefit from unique conditions that allow improving both their precision and the signal to be measured. In this paper, we discuss the scientific priorities of a space-based research program in fundamental physics.

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INRRI-EDM/2016: the first laser retroreflector on the surface of Mars

Cited by 12 publications

References 28 publications

On the foundations of general relativistic celestial mechanics

On the foundations of general relativistic celestial mechanics

Characterization in Dynamic Load Environment of COTS Synthetic Sapphire Bearings for Application in Magnetic Suspension in Space

A way forward for fundamental physics in space

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