BackForward Satellite: LARES-1 

Satellite details
Acronym LARES-1
Full name Laser RElativity Satellite - 1
WIGOS Station Identifier ---
Satellite Description
  • 3rd flight unit of the LAGEOS programme.
  • Main mission (in combination with LAGEOS-1 and LAGEOS-2): to confirm the principle of General Relativity that rotating masses drag space-time around themselves as they rotate (“Lense-Thirring effect”).
  • Substatial contribution to Solid Earth (space geodesy).
  • A sphere of diameter 36.4 cm, density 15.3 g/cm3
Mass at launch 387 kg Dry mass 387 kg
Power
Data access link no link provided
Data access information
  • Data freely available from the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS).
  • Data analysis performed in several scientific institutes in Italy, USA and Germany. Leading institute: University of Rome "La Sapienza".
Orbit Drifting orbit Altitude 1450 km
Inclination 69.5 °

 

Space agency ASI , NASA
Status Operational
Details on Status
(as available)
Launch 13 Feb 2012 EOL ≥2050
Last update: 2024-08-12
Associated satellite programme and related satellites

Note: red tag: no longer operational , green tag: operational , blue tag : future

Satellite Payload

All known Instruments flying on LARES-1

Acronym Full name
LRA Laser Retroreflector Array
Show instrument status and calibration