Orbit Inclination: 49.82
Perigee: 806
Apogee: 1108

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- Spacecraft Brief Description -
The two primary goals of this satellite were to minimize the effects of
non-gravitational forces and to obtain the highest possible accuracy for laser
range ... measurements. The satellite was spherically shaped with a 12-cm radius.
The core was an alloy of uranium 238 and 1.5% molybdenum. The skin consisted of
20 spherical caps made of an alloy of aluminum and 5% magnesium with triangular
bases. Each cap contained three laser corner cubes. The corner cubes were fused
silica trihedrons with circular apertures made of suprasil 1 with silver
coatings covered by inconel. For Groupe de Recherches de Geodesie Spatiale
(GRGS), the principal objective was to study earth and ocean tides by (1) the
determination of the second harmonics (amplitude and phase) of the main
semidiurnal oceanic tides (M and S) and, if possible, of the diurnal K, O, and
P tides; and (2) the determination of the dissipation in the solid earth and in
the oceans (Q).
- Auxiliary Information -
Launch Date and Time : 1975-02-06
Epoch Date and Time : 1975-02-20
Apogee (km or AU): 1108.
Perigee (km or AU): 806.
Inclination (degree) : 49.82
Orbit Type : Geocentric
Information last updated on 1985-07-17