LAGEOS
Author(s): Snowfall-The-Cat DaveBowman2001
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LAGEOS 1 and 2 are two scientific research satellites, launched in 1976 and 1992, designed to provide an orbiting laser ranging benchmark for geodynamical studies of the Earth. They are in very stable medium Earth orbits, and are expected to de-orbit and re-enter Earth's atmosphere in 8.4 million years. LAGEOS 1 contains a plaque designed by Carl Sagan depicting Earth's continents as they appeared 268 million years ago, as they appear now, and as they are predicted to appear in 8.4 million years.
NOTES:
- LAGEOS-2 requires the Space Shuttle addon to be viewed in Celestia
- For this reason, Shuttle mission STS-52 (Columbia) will be modified as well
| LAGEOS 1 and 2 (1976-1992) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission | Start | End | |||
| LAGEOS 1 | 1976-May-4 | (Active) | |||
| LAGEOS 2 | 1992-Oct-22 | (Active) | |||
| Launched aboard STS-52 (Columbia) | |||||
LAGEOS-2 being deployed from STS-52 (Columbia) with its IRIS booster
The LAGEOS plaque.
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