On the Horizon: New ESA Laser Ranging Station (ELRS) with Debris Tracking Capabilities

A new, mostly COTS based “Laser Ranging Station for Cooperative Targets” is being built for the European Space Agency (ESA) by a consortium of European companies and institutes (D, A, CH, LV) under the lead of DiGOS Potsdam GmbH. The objective of the ELRS is to establish a flexible and economical basis for various optical applications. Starting with laser ranging to cooperative targets and demonstrating passive-optical debris tracking, the system provides the adaptability for future applications to be integrated including laser ranging to non-cooperative targets/debris, space-to-ground laser communication, and for serving as a general test bed for optical technologies. We will present the multi-purpose concept and the flexibilities of the ELRS design with a focus on current and future debris tracking capabilities which are being strongly advanced together with the scientific partners IWF and AIUB.