astronomy

LARES (satellite)

LARES (satellite) is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand LARES (satellite) rather than just read about it. In short: LARES (Laser Relativity Satellite) is a passive satellite system of the Italian Space Agency. Mission LARES 1 LARES 1 was launched into orbit on 13 February 2012 at 10:00:00 UTC.

Key takeaways

LARES (satellite) belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect LARES (satellite) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of LARES (satellite) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

LARES (Laser Relativity Satellite) is a passive satellite system of the Italian Space Agency.

Mission

LARES 1 LARES 1 was launched into orbit on 13 February 2012 at 10:00:00 UTC. It was launched on the first Vega rocket from the ESA Centre Spatial Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana.

Composition The satellite is made of THA-18N, a tungsten alloy, and houses 92 cube-corner retroreflectors, which are used to track the satellite via laser from stations on Earth. LARES's body has a diameter of about 36.4 centimetres (14.3 in) and a mass of about 387 kilograms (853 lb). LARES was inserted in a nearly circular orbit near 1,451 kilometres (902 mi) and an inclination of 69.49 degrees. The satellite is tracked by the International Laser Ranging Service stations. The LARES satellite is the densest object known orbiting the Earth. The high density helps reduce disturbances from environmental factors such as solar radiation pressure.

Scientific goals The main scientific target of the LARES mission is the measurement of the Lense–Thirring effect with an accuracy of about 1%, according to principal investigator Ignazio Ciufolini and the LARES scientific team, but the reliability of that estimate is contested. In contrast, a recent analysis of 3.5 years of laser-ranging data reported a claimed accuracy of about 4%. Critical remarks appeared later in the literature. Beyond the project's key mission, the LARES satellite may be used for other tests of general relativity as well as measurements in the fields of geodynamics and satellite geodesy.

LARES 2 A second satellite, LARES 2, was launched into orbit on 13 July 2022 at 13:13:43 UTC on a Vega-C. It was originally due to launch in mid-2021. The launch was delayed to mid-2022 due to continuing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. LARES 2 may improve the accuracy of the frame-dragging effect measurement to 0.2%. Concerns about the actual possibility of reaching this goal were raised. LARES 2 is made of a nickel alloy instead of a tungsten alloy.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with LARES (satellite)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what LARES (satellite) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to LARES (satellite) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about LARES (satellite) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of LARES (satellite)

In research: LARES (satellite) appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses LARES (satellite) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: LARES (satellite) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2012 in Italy, Italian Space Agency, Laser ranging satellites, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for LARES (satellite) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study LARES (satellite) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what LARES (satellite) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain LARES (satellite) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is LARES (satellite) in simple terms?

LARES (Laser Relativity Satellite) is a passive satellite system of the Italian Space Agency. Mission LARES 1 LARES 1 was launched into orbit on 13 February 2012 at 10:00:00 UTC.

Why does LARES (satellite) matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study LARES (satellite)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on LARES (satellite).