Editing LAGEOS (section)

{{Short description|Scientific research satellites}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  =  LAGEOS-1
| image                 =  LAGEOS-NASA.jpg
| image_caption         =  LAGEOS-1 ([[diameter]]=60&nbsp;cm [23.6 inches])

| mission_type          = [[Geodesy]]
| website               = {{url|https://ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lag1_general.html|ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov}}
| COSPAR_ID             = 1976-039A
| SATCAT                = 8820
| mission_duration = {{time interval|May 4, 1976, 08:00:00|show=ymd}}<br/> (in progress)

| spacecraft_type       = GEOS
| manufacturer          = [[NASA]]
| launch_mass           = {{convert|406.965|kg}}
| dimensions            = {{convert|0.60|m}} diameter sphere
| power                 =

| launch_date           = {{start-date|4 May 1976, 08:00|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC<ref name="launchlog">{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt|title=Launch Log|first=Jonathan|last=McDowells|work=Jonathan's Space Page|accessdate=6 May 2017}}</ref>
| launch_rocket         = [[Delta 2000|Delta 2913]] / [[Star (rocket stage)|Star-24]]
| launch_site           = [[Vandenberg Air Force Base|Vandenberg]] [[Vandenberg AFB Space Launch Complex 2|SLC-2W]]
| launch_contractor     = [[NASA]]

| disposal_type        = Re-Entry
| decay_date            = in 8 Million Years

| orbit_epoch           = 5 May 2017, 07:05:23&nbsp;UTC<ref name="celestrak">{{cite web|url=https://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/geodetic.txt|title=Celestrak NORAD Two-Line Element Sets|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=6 May 2017}}</ref>
| orbit_reference       = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Medium Earth orbit|Medium Earth]]
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|5838.33|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|5947.69|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_inclination     = 109.83&nbsp;degrees
| orbit_semimajor       = {{convert|12271.15|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_eccentricity  = 0.0044560
| orbit_period          = 225.70&nbsp;minutes
| apsis                 = gee

| instruments           = {{unbulleted list|422 glass retroreflectors|4 germanium infrared retroreflectors|Time capsule plaque}}
}}

{{Infobox spaceflight
| name               = LAGEOS-2
| image              = STS-52 LAGEOS-II deployment.jpg
| image_caption      = LAGEOS 2 during deployment on STS-52
| mission_type       = [[Geodesy]]
| operator           = [[NASA]]
| website            = {{url|https://ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lag1_general.html|ilrs.cddis.eosdis.nasa.gov}}
| COSPAR_ID          = 1992-070B
| SATCAT             = 22195
| mission_duration   = {{time interval|October 22, 1992, 17:09:00|show=ymd}}<br/> (in progress)
| spacecraft_type    = LAGEOS
| manufacturer       = [[Aeritalia]] for the [[Italian Space Agency|Italian Space Agency (ASI)]]
| launch_mass        = {{convert|405.38|kg}}
| dimensions         = {{convert|0.60|m}} diameter sphere
| power              = <!-- [[watt]]s -->
| launch_date        = {{start-date|22 October 1992, 17:09|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC<ref name="launchlog"/>
| launch_rocket      = [[STS-52|Space Shuttle STS-52 / Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS)]]
| launch_site        = [[Kennedy Space Center|Kennedy]] [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39|LC-39B]]
| disposal_type      = Re-Entry
| decay_date         = in 8 Million years
| orbit_epoch        = 5 May 2017, 07:48:20&nbsp;UTC<ref name="celestrak">{{cite web|url=https://www.celestrak.com/NORAD/elements/geodetic.txt|title=Celestrak NORAD Two-Line Element Sets|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=6 May 2017}}</ref>
| orbit_reference    = [[Geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime       = [[Medium Earth orbit|Medium Earth]]
| orbit_periapsis    = {{convert|5616.73|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_apoapsis     = {{convert|5950.68|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_inclination  = 52.65&nbsp;degrees
| orbit_semimajor    = {{convert|12161.84|km|mi|sp=us}}
| orbit_eccentricity = 0.0137298
| orbit_period       = 222.46&nbsp;minutess
| apsis              = gee
| instruments        = {{unbulleted list|422 glass retroreflectors|4 germanium infrared retroreflectors}}
}}
[[File:LAGEOS-FILE.jpg|thumb|upright|The LAGEOS plaque, designed by Carl Sagan|left]]
'''LAGEOS''' ({{IPAc-en|l|eɪ|ʒ|iː|oʊ|s|}}), '''Laser Geodynamics Satellite''' or '''Laser Geometric Environmental Observation Survey''', are a series of two scientific research [[satellite]]s designed to provide an orbiting [[satellite laser ranging|laser ranging]] benchmark for [[geodynamics|geodynamical]] studies of the [[Earth]]. Each satellite is a high-density passive laser reflector in a very stable [[medium Earth orbit]] (MEO).