LAGEOS

LAGEOS (Laser Geodynamics Satellite ) is the name of two of the main laser satellites of higher geodesy. Thus, the main areas of application are outlined: the determination of tectonic plate motions and regional crustal displacements, the determination of polar motion and earth rotation parameters and the definition of a geodetic reference system.

The LAGEOS satellites have the shape of a sphere, which carries 426 laser reflectors. This throwing incident light exactly in the direction of incidence of back and allow in the way of the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) a precise distance measurement between terrestrial observatories and satellites. The duration of measurement employed here is based on reception of the light echoes through a telescope by a triggered by the photons interval counter.

LAGEOS - 1 has an orbital altitude 5858-5958 miles and has a core made ​​of solid metal has a mass of 411 kg. Together with the small diameter of about 60 cm, this means that gravitational non- disruptive forces have little influence ( only small perturbations ). Therefore, his course is exceptionally stable and can be used for precise determination of the parent survey points and the fundamental system of geodesy and astronomy. The orbital period around the earth is 225 minutes.

Of the approximately 20 other laser satellites of the French Starlette is the next most important. He has a similar structure, the size of a football and weighs 47 kg.

LAGEOS 1

Built by NASA first LAGEOS satellite launched on 4 May 1976 by Cape Canaveral on a Delta - 2913 into orbit. The satellite itself was housed in a protective casing on which was a Star 24 apogee to circularize the orbit.

LAGEOS 2

The second LAGEOS satellite was built by the Italian Space Agency ASI and is an almost exact copy of the first LAGEOS satellites. It has a diameter of 60 cm at a slightly lower weight of 405 kg. The satellite was launched together with the Italian upper IRIS on 22 October 1992 by NASA as part of the Space Shuttle mission STS -52 into space.

The LAGEOS Plaques

Due to the high and extremely stable orbit of the LAGEOS satellites, these are again left orbit after about 8 million years ago. For this reason, both satellites carry a 18 cm wide and 10 cm high stainless steel plaque with it, which is the continental drift and should thus provide a possible finder in the future information about the purpose of the satellite. In addition, located on the plaques a counting system based on binary numbers and a human handprint.

Others

The analysis of the trajectory data of the LAGEOS satellites also provided evidence for the detection of the Lense- Thirring effect.

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