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Launch Preparation Main Content
NASA Center: Goddard Space Flight Center
Image # : L-76-3
Date : 01/01/1976


Title

Launch Preparation

Full Description

Inside the nose cone of this Delta rocket is Goddard's geophysics research satellite, a 906-lb. (411-kg) satellite that looked more like a dimpled cosmic golf ball. The spacecraft, which NASA launched from the Western Test Range in California in 1976, provided a stable point in the sky to reflect pulses of laser light. By timing the return of the laser beam to an accuracy of about one ten-billionth of a second, scientists expected to measure the relative location of participating ground stations within one inch or a few centimeters. These measurements allowed scientists to track and analyze tectonic plate movement and continental drift. The spacecraft, called the LAser GEOdynamics Satellite (LAGEOS), was the precursor to the current-day Global Positioning System (GPS) system operated by the Defense Department.

Keywords

Geodetic Laser Satellite Delta

Subject Category

Space Probes,

Reference Numbers

  • Center: GSFC
  • Center Number: L-76-3
  • GRIN DataBase Number: GPN-2000-001329

Source Information

  • Creator/Photographer: NASA
  • Original Source: DIGITAL

Image Information ( Copyright Notification )

ResolutionFormatWidth
(Pixels)
Height
(Pixels)
Size
(KBytes)
Thumbnail JPEG 67 85 14
Small JPEG 476 607 297
Medium JPEG 1116 1422 1,366
Large JPEG 2232 2844 5,330


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Updated Aug 20, 2009 • History Questions: NASA History Office
• Responsible NASA Official: Steve Garber
• Author: Michael Hahn.  Editor: Dwayne A. Day
• Curator & Technical Questions: Erin Needham
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