Apollo 11 Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment (LURE)

IEEE Milestone

 

Apollo 11 Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment (LURE), 1969

 

On 1 August 1969, Lick Observatory made the first Earth-to-Moon distance measurement with centimeter accuracy. The researchers fired a gigawatt ruby laser at a retro-reflector array placed on the Moon by Apollo 11 astronauts, and measured the time delay in detecting the reflected pulse. This was the first experiment using a hand-placed extraterrestrial instrument.

 

August 2019

Submitted by: Eric Goodill