References

428. "Laser Reflectors on New Italian Satellites, Spaceflight, September 1988, p. 348.
429. "ASI: Lageos Operational Weeks Ahead of Schedule", Space News, 9-15 November 1992, p. 11.
430. R. Schuiling, "Telescience is Put to the Test", Spaceflight, February 1993, pp. 68-69.
Adapted from: Europe and Asia in Space 1993-1994, Nicholas Johnson and David Rodvold [Kaman Sciences / Air Force Phillips Laboratory]

LAGEOS 2

Italy's first and only geodetic satellite was launched in 1992 with the aid of the US LAGEOS 2, built by Aeritalia Space Systems Group, is a twin to the US' LAGEOS satellite launched in May, 1976, with a mass of 405 kg, a diameter of 60 cm, and a total of 426 laser reflectors. Deployed from the US Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-52), LAGEOS 2 was boosted into an orbit of approximately 5,615 km by 5,950 km at an inclination of 52.7 degrees by an Italian-made IRIS upper stage.

The orbital altitude is almost identical to that of LAGEOS, but the lower inclination of LAGEOS 2 compared with LAGEOS (52.7 degrees versus 109.9 degrees) will permit better understanding of the Earth's gravitational field and will enhance observations from European latitudes. Together, the two satellites will provide data capable of detecting tectonic movements on the order of 2 cm per year (References 428-430). The launch of LAGEOS 2 was delayed several years due to the US Challenger accident.

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