In 1992, the NASA and the ASI orbited Lageos-2 (Laser Geodynamics Satellites), the successor to Lageos-1, aimed at precisely defining the shape of Earth, determining the movements of the tectonic plates due to the continental drift and measuring some general relativity parameters theorized by Einstein, with a 10% precision.

Lageos-2 was launched from the Space Shuttle Columbia’s cargo bay by the Iris (Italian Research Interim Stage) propulsion system.

Iris, which transferred Lageos-2 at an altitude of about 6000 km, was developed by Alenia and Snia Bpd (Fiat group) for the motor part.

‣ News

WEDNESDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2024

Ready, set, go! Euclid begins its dark Universe survey ‣

ASI - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana

Today, ESA’s space telescope Euclid begins its survey of the dark Universe. Over the next six years, Euclid will observe billions of galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history. Learn how the team prepared Euclid in the months after launch for this gigantic cosmic quest. 

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FRIDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2024

COSMO-SkyMed images to monitor volcanic activities in Hawaii ‣

An important outcome of the interferometric COSMO-SkyMed data processing MORE...

THURSDAY 25 JANUARY 2024

LIMADOU COLLABORATION HITS ANOTHER TARGET ‣

Italian-made HEPD-02 and EFD-02 detectors have reached China MORE...

FRIDAY 22 DECEMBER 2023

PRISMA and volcano observations ‣

The Ebeko volcano MORE...

FRIDAY 01 DECEMBER 2023

ASI – Italian Space Agency upgrades access to MapItaly data ‣

Downloading of COSMO-SkyMed constellation images has never been so easy MORE...