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A small group of highly skilled
people at the Marshall Space

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Flight Center have
just completed

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building a small
satellite, which

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will be launched early next year
for taking precise measurements

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of the earth.

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It is known as LAGEOS, short for
a Laser Geodynamic Satellite.

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LAGEOS is basically a solid
ball of aluminum and brass

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about twice the size
of a basketball.

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And is covered with
precision reflectors.

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It will be a passive satellite,
not originating signals itself,

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but bouncing back the laser
beams from ground stations.

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Placed in a circular
orbit, LAGEOS

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will be so stable
that its reflected

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signals can be used to detect
an analyze the earth's crust

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and rotational motions and
how fast the continents are

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drifting apart.

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The LAGEOS satellite is a part
of NASA's Earth and Oceans

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Physics Application Program.