Advancing India’s Geospatial Science: The Imperative for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Infrastructure

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is a high-precision geodetic technique that measures distances between ground stations and orbiting satellites, providing crucial data on orbital parameters, Earth Rotation Parameters (ERPs), and gravity anomalies. Despite significant advancements in India’s space capabilities, including successful missions like Chandrayaan 3, the country lacks operational SLR facilities, with the existing sites in Mount Abu and Ponmudi being non-functional. Such infrastructure would enhance geodetic measurements, sea level monitoring, and integration with the GNSS network, thereby strengthening India’s contribution to global geospatial sciences and the realization of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). The paper also elaborates on data processing methods, case studies using the Bernese software, and the broad applications of SLR in geodesy and Earth sciences, concluding with a compelling case for the National Centre for Geodesy at IIT Kanpur as a potential site for an SLR facility.