Design of effective reflection area of laser retro-reflectors for satellite regional observation

The structure of laser retro-reflector array dominates the distribution of the effective reflection area and influences the intensity of echo signals. However, for the special purpose of compact experimental satellites the observational activities are only performed in the certain sky region by the ground station. But the laser retro-reflector needs tens of square centimeters of the effective reflection area, and the weight and size are limited. For that the reasonable design of the normal pointing of the cube corners within the retro-reflectors array should be implemented in order to achieve the requirements of large reflection area. The calculation model of the effective reflection area for laser retro-reflector with different normal pointing cube corner was derived and taking laser retro-reflector array designed for one of the regional observational satellites as an example, the simulated calculation and the laboratory test of the effective reflection were given. The results show that the simulations of the effective reflection area of laser retro-reflector for satellite regional observation accord with the testing results. The practicability of the design of laser retro-reflectors for satellite regional observation lays the foundation of its further applications in the future.