Etalon (satellite)

Etalon-1
Mission type Geodesy
COSPAR ID 1989-001C
SATCAT no. 19751
Start of mission
Launch date 10 January 1989, 02:05 (1989-01-10UTC02:05Z) UTC[1]
Launch site Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Medium Earth
Eccentricity 0.0021819
Inclination 64.1497 degrees
Period 675.56 minutes
Epoch 25 July 2018, 18:51:56 UTC
Etalon-2
Mission type Geodesy
COSPAR ID 1989-039C
SATCAT no. 20026
Start of mission
Launch date 31 May 1989, 08:31 (1989-05-31UTC08:31Z) UTC[2]
Launch site Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Medium Earth
Eccentricity 0.0017121
Inclination 65.2335 degrees
Period 675.41 minutes
Epoch 25 July 2018, 18:59:47 UTC

Etalon-1 and Etalon-2 are two geodetic satellites designed to determine with high accuracy terrestrial reference frame and earth rotation parameters, to improve the gravity field, and to improve the gravitational constant. Each satellite is a high-density passive laser reflector in a very stable medium Earth orbit (MEO).[3]

References

  1. "Kosmos-1989 - Satellite Information". www.heavens-above.com.
  2. "Kosmos-2024 - Satellite Information". www.heavens-above.com.
  3. "Etalon-1 and -2". International Laser Ranging Service.
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