LAGEOS Passive Laser Geodynamics Satellites

LAGEOS is the passive spherical laser-ranging design flown as NASA’s LAGEOS-1 and the joint NASA–ASI LAGEOS-2. Each 60 cm sphere carries 426 corner-cube reflectors, including four germanium reflectors for infrared experiments. The satellites have no onboard power, communications or moving parts. Ground stations time reflected laser pulses to determine their orbits and derive geodetic measurements. The two flight articles have different masses and orbital inclinations.