  Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is an established technique providing very
accurate position measurements of satellites in Earth orbit. However, despite
decades of development, it remains a complex and expensive technology, which
impedes its further growth to new applications and users.
  The miniSLR implements a complete SLR system within a small, transportable
enclosure. Through this design, costs of ownership can be reduced
significantly, and the process of establishing a new SLR site is greatly
simplified. A number of novel technical solutions have been implemented to
achieve a good laser ranging performance despite the small size and simplified
design.
  Data from the initial six months of test operation has been used to generate
a first estimation of the system performance. The data includes measurements to
many of the important SLR satellites, such as Lageos, Etalon and most of the
geodetic and Earth observation missions in LEO. It is shown that the miniSLR
achieves sub-centimetre accuracy, comparable with conventional SLR systems.
  The miniSLR is an engineering station in the International Laser Ranging
Service (ILRS), and supplies data to the community. Continuous efforts are
undertaken to further improve the system operation and stability.
