e-GEOS has completed the construction and commissioning of the new Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) station, commissioned by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The new infrastructure has been installed at ASI’s “Giuseppe Colombo” Space Centre in Matera and will support space geodesy activities.
Satellite Laser Ranging is a technique used to measure the distance between a ground station and an orbiting satellite with high precision. It works by transmitting short laser pulses towards retroreflectors mounted on satellites and measuring the time taken for the light to return to the station. Laser ranging data enable the precise determination of satellite orbits and the estimation of key geodetic parameters used to study tectonic plate movements, deformations of the Earth’s crust and the planet’s rotation, as well as to define the terrestrial reference frame.
As part of the project, e-GEOS was responsible for the overall implementation of the new infrastructure and will also oversee its operational management. DiGOS Potsdam GmbH, a German company specialising in the integration of systems for geodetic measurements, also contributed to the project.
The new station stands out for its high measurement accuracy and flexible architecture, which will allow its capabilities to be expanded over time. Potential future applications include space debris monitoring, an area of growing importance for the sustainability of space activities and the safety of orbital infrastructure.