While laser distance measurement (laser ranging) currently provides millimeter accuracy at megameter scales, still higher accuracy will be required in the near future. Factors limiting the accuracy are variations in the Earth atmosphere index of refraction and the structure of light-reflecting targets. This paper briefly outlines ways to overcome these limitations and reviews the progress in deploying Russia's satellite laser ranging network over the last decades. Some prospects for further progress in this field are also discussed.

Keywords: satellite laser ranging, retroreflectors, target error PACS: 06.30.Bp, 42.62.−b, 91.10.Fc (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2017.04.038147 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2018/7/f/ 000446676600005 2018PhyU...61..707V Citation: Vasiliev V P "Current state of high-accuracy laser ranging" Phys. Usp. 61 707–713 (2018) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Received: 22nd, May 2018, accepted: 5th, April 2017 Оригинал: Васильев В П «Современное состояние высокоточной лазерной дальнометрии» УФН 188 790–797 (2018); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2017.04.038147