After almost three decades since the first idea of launching a passive satellite to measure gravitomagnetism, launch of LARES satellite is approaching. The new developed VEGA launcher will carry LARES in a nominally circular orbit at 1450 km altitude. This satellite, along with the two LAGEOS satellites, will allow to improve a previous measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect by a factor of 10. This important achievement will be a result of the idea of combining orbital parameters of a constellation of laser ranging satellites along with a specific design of LARES satellite. Other key points of the experiment are: the ever improving knowledge of the gravitational field of Earth, in particular the lower degree even zonal harmonics with GRACE satellites, and an accurate estimate of all the classical perturbations such as atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure. In the paper both the scientific aspects as well as the design consideration will be described.
LARES, laser relativity satellite / I., Ciufolini; Paolozzi, Antonio; E., Pavlis; R., Koenig; J., Ries; R., Matzner; R., Neubert; D., Rubincam; D., Arnold; V., Slabinski; Sindoni, Giampiero; Paris, Claudio; Ramiconi, Marcello; D., Spano; Vendittozzi, Cristian; H., Neumayer. - (2011), pp. 19-23. (Intervento presentato al convegno 17th international workshop on laser ranging: extending the range tenutosi a Bad Kotzting, Germany nel May 16-20, 2011).
LARES, laser relativity satellite
PAOLOZZI, Antonio;SINDONI, GIAMPIERO;PARIS, Claudio;RAMICONI, MARCELLO;VENDITTOZZI, CRISTIAN;
2011
Abstract
After almost three decades since the first idea of launching a passive satellite to measure gravitomagnetism, launch of LARES satellite is approaching. The new developed VEGA launcher will carry LARES in a nominally circular orbit at 1450 km altitude. This satellite, along with the two LAGEOS satellites, will allow to improve a previous measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect by a factor of 10. This important achievement will be a result of the idea of combining orbital parameters of a constellation of laser ranging satellites along with a specific design of LARES satellite. Other key points of the experiment are: the ever improving knowledge of the gravitational field of Earth, in particular the lower degree even zonal harmonics with GRACE satellites, and an accurate estimate of all the classical perturbations such as atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure. In the paper both the scientific aspects as well as the design consideration will be described.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
