Abstract
Differential very-long-baseline interferometric observations of signals from Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package telemetry transmitters will yield the relative projected positions of the transmitters with uncertainty of only 1-3 m, set mainly by uncertainty of the lunar ephemeris. Noise and systematic instrumental errors which in the past affected similar observations have been reduced to the equivalent of a few centimeters on the lunar surface by the development of a new type of differential receiver. Continued observations should yield a determination of the motion of the Moon about its center of mass with uncertainty less than 1 s of selenocentric arc. Improvements (by other means) in our knowledge of the Moon's orbital motion would allow a further order-of-magnitude refinement in the libration and relative position results obtainable by differential VLBI.
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Counselman, C.C., Hinteregger, H.F., King, R.W. et al. Lunar baselines and libration from differential Vlbi observations of alseps. The Moon 8, 484–489 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00562072
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00562072