For our main application of single photon counting avalanche detectors in focus – laser ranging of space objects and laser time transfer – the ultimate requirements are relatively large and homogeneous active area having a diameter of 100 to 200µm and a sub-picosecond stability of timing. The detector dark count rate and after-pulsing probability are parameters of relatively lower, but not negligible importance. In presented paper we will focused on them. We have developed a new active quenching and gating scheme which can reduce afterpulsing effect and hence also effective dark count rate at lower temperature. In satellite laser ranging system the effective dark count rate was reduced more than 35 times. This improvement will contribute in increasing the data yield and hence to increase precision and productivity.