Assessing consistency of Chang'E-1 and SELENE reference frames using nearly-colocated laser altimetry footprint positions

The consistency of the Chang'E-1 and SELENE reference frames as realized by the footprint positions of laser altimetry measurements of the lunar surface during both missions was analyzed using a global 12-parameter model for small (with respect to unity) deformations and rigid body motions. The rigid body motion and deformation parameters between the two reference frames estimated from nearly-colocated without tie measurements are found to be consistent, i. e., nearly zero for the estimates of the translations, rotations and shear parameters. However, the estimated three strain parameters, which are similar in magnitude and sign, reveal a prominent scale difference, between the Chang'E-1 and SELENE reference frames, of about 0. 9 × 10-5. The scale difference can be attributed to calibration of the data sets using the known coordinates of the lunar laser ranging stations all located on the near side of the Moon.