The Celestial Mechanics Division

The Celestial Mechanics Division, former artificial satellite observation group, was established in 1978. Recently, there are about 30 scientific and enginecing staffs. The main facilities are.#br#(1) an astronomical geodetic automatic camera(S.B.G.);#br#(2) a JSZ-4 dual frequency Doppler receiver;#br#(3) a second generation laser ranging system with the accuracy better than 30 cm;#br#(4) a GDJ-1 printing tracking theodolite with the aperture of 150mm;#br#(5) two computers, a "PDP-ll/23" and a Z-80 based Cromenco Microcoinputer, are used for observational data processing.#br#Besides the routine observing run,the research work about the methods of observation, the improvements to the fuction of the major parts of some instruments, the precise determination of satellite orbits and the programing for odser-ving data processing, has been carried out these years.#br#At present, in order to exteud the observation and research to astrometry and geodynamics, a precise lunar arid satelliic laser ranging system is preparing to be constructed in the division where the future rescaren work will be considered as accurte observation and orbit determination of the selected objects——artificial satellites and the moon, a natural satellite, then the theortical rcsearcli and the application based on the resnits from the observations.