LASER SPACE GRAVITY GRADIOMETER Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC G01V7/00 

FIELD: space industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a device for measuring the gravitational gradient on board a spacecraft. The device contains two test masses (1, 2) with optical reflective elements of the laser beam fixed on them in the form of a pair of corner reflectors (12-15) and a laser interferometer (5) optically connected to them, located on one coordinate axis of the spacecraft, as well as calculator (7). Additionally, the device includes arresters (3) rigidly connected to the spacecraft body for fixing and ensuring the free flight of test masses (1, 2) inside the spacecraft, gyroscopic stabilizers (10, 11) of the position in space, calibration mass (4), mounted on a movable carriage rigidly connected to the spacecraft body. The device also contains two additional laser space gravity gradiometers in the same composition, located on two other coordinate axes of the spacecraft, meters (21) of the Doppler shift of laser radiation as part of laser interferometers (5), a source of highly stable counting pulses in the form of a highly stable frequency standard (6). Moreover, the output of a highly stable frequency standard (6) is connected to laser interferometers (5) of all three gradiometers, and the outputs of laser interferometers (5) of all gradiometers are connected to a computer (7).

EFFECT: ensuring simultaneous measurements of three components of the gravitational gradient on board the spacecraft, increasing the measurement accuracy by increasing the accuracy of measuring the signal parameters at the output of the photodetector, by increasing the degree of stabilization of the laser beam reflectors and increasing the path length of the working laser beam, as well as the flight calibration of the device by introducing in the composition of the device of the calibration mass; facilitating the placement of the instrument on board a spacecraft of complex design by avoiding obstacles for the measuring laser beam near the center of mass of the spacecraft.

6 cl, 6 dwg