LARES is a laser ranged satellite smaller and lighter with respect to its predecessor LAGEOS launched by NASA in 1976 and LAGEOS II launched by NASA and ASI in 1992. LARES experiment is not only a low cost evolution of the LAGEOS III mission proposed in 1986 [ ] but it will improve the scientific return by adding important contributions in Earth science and fundamental physics. The main objective of the LARES mission is to verify the Lense-Thirring effect which is a relativistic precession of the orbital plane induced by the Earth rotation and not predicted by the classical lows of gravitation. This effect is very small compared to the precession induced by the non gravitational perturbations as well as by the non perfectly spherical gravitational potential of the Earth. Other objectives in the field of gravity and general relativity include studies of the inverse square law for very weak-field, test of the equivalence principle and a more accurate evaluation of some PPN (Parametrized -Post-Newtonian) parameters. LARES is a passive satellite, very simple, reliable and low cost. It is a test particle with Cube Corner Retroreflectors (CCRs) on its surface. The orbit is reconstructed by analyzing the data collected from the Laser Ranging Station (LRS) that continuously send laser pulses towards the laser ranged satellites and evaluate the delay of the signals by very accurate atomic clocks. The total cost of a space mission is given by three main contributions: the ground segment, the launch system and the space segment. The ground segment is constituted by the International Laser Ranging Service that will provide at no extra cost the tracking and the ranging of the Satellite. The space segment is basically constituted by the separation system and the satellite only if the launcher is capable to inject the satellite into the final orbit. In order to keep the overall cost low a transfer module has to be avoided. Consequently the launcher should preferably be capable to put the satellite into the final orbit. As a consequence of what just said the total mission cost is mainly driven by the launch system which is in principle connected to the satellite mass and semimajor axis of the orbit. The orbit proposed both for LAGEOS III and LARES mission was supplementary to that one of LAGEOS, (i.e. 70 degrees and about 12.000 km for the semimajor axis).
A Cost Effective Approach for LARES Satellite / Lucchesi, D. M.; Paolozzi, Antonio. - (2001), pp. 1-14. (Intervento presentato al convegno XVI Congresso Nazionale dell'Associazione Italiana di Aeronautica e Astronautica (AIDAA) tenutosi a Palermo nel Sept 2001).
A Cost Effective Approach for LARES Satellite
PAOLOZZI, Antonio
2001
Abstract
LARES is a laser ranged satellite smaller and lighter with respect to its predecessor LAGEOS launched by NASA in 1976 and LAGEOS II launched by NASA and ASI in 1992. LARES experiment is not only a low cost evolution of the LAGEOS III mission proposed in 1986 [ ] but it will improve the scientific return by adding important contributions in Earth science and fundamental physics. The main objective of the LARES mission is to verify the Lense-Thirring effect which is a relativistic precession of the orbital plane induced by the Earth rotation and not predicted by the classical lows of gravitation. This effect is very small compared to the precession induced by the non gravitational perturbations as well as by the non perfectly spherical gravitational potential of the Earth. Other objectives in the field of gravity and general relativity include studies of the inverse square law for very weak-field, test of the equivalence principle and a more accurate evaluation of some PPN (Parametrized -Post-Newtonian) parameters. LARES is a passive satellite, very simple, reliable and low cost. It is a test particle with Cube Corner Retroreflectors (CCRs) on its surface. The orbit is reconstructed by analyzing the data collected from the Laser Ranging Station (LRS) that continuously send laser pulses towards the laser ranged satellites and evaluate the delay of the signals by very accurate atomic clocks. The total cost of a space mission is given by three main contributions: the ground segment, the launch system and the space segment. The ground segment is constituted by the International Laser Ranging Service that will provide at no extra cost the tracking and the ranging of the Satellite. The space segment is basically constituted by the separation system and the satellite only if the launcher is capable to inject the satellite into the final orbit. In order to keep the overall cost low a transfer module has to be avoided. Consequently the launcher should preferably be capable to put the satellite into the final orbit. As a consequence of what just said the total mission cost is mainly driven by the launch system which is in principle connected to the satellite mass and semimajor axis of the orbit. The orbit proposed both for LAGEOS III and LARES mission was supplementary to that one of LAGEOS, (i.e. 70 degrees and about 12.000 km for the semimajor axis).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
