A NASA laser reflecting technology that will aid Global Positioning System (GPS) accuracy is now operational as of March 9. The instrument, known as a laser retroreflector array , or LRA, launched aboard GPS III SV-09, the ninth of U.S. Space Force’s Block III Global Positioning System satellites, on Jan. 27. LRAs are sets of mirrors shaped like the corners of a cube, a configuration that is designed to precisely reflect beams of light back to their source. They are a key component to laser ranging, a technique that enables the measurement of precise distance by observing the time it takes for a pulse of light to travel from a ground station to the mirrors and back. “LRAs are the most efficient and cost-effective way to improve products that come out of GPS,” said Lucia Tsaoussi, program manager for NASA’s Space Geodesy at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Whether walking, driving, sailing, or flying, GPS technology helps people know their location and navigate to their destination.…