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Collection:
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NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Launch Preparation
Title
Launch Preparation
Title
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Full Description:
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Inside the nose cone of this Delta rocket is Goddard's geophysics research satellite, a 906-lb. (411-kg) satellite that looked more like a dimpled cosmic golf ball. The spacecraft, which NASA launched from the Western Test Range in California in 1976, provided a stable point in the sky to reflect pulses of laser light. By timing the return of the laser beam to an accuracy of about one ten-billionth of a second, scientists expected to measure the relative location of participating ground stations within one inch or a few centimeters. These measurements allowed scientists to track and analyze tectonic plate movement and continental drift. The spacecraft, called the LAser GEOdynamics Satellite (LAGEOS), was the precursor to the current-day Global Positioning System (GPS) system operated by the Defense Department.
Full_Description
Inside the nose cone of this Delta rocket is Goddard's geophysics research satellite, a 906-lb. (411-kg) satellite that looked more like a dimpled cosmic golf ball. The spacecraft, which NASA launched from the Western Test Range in California in 1976, provided a stable point in the sky to reflect pulses of laser light. By timing the return of the laser beam to an accuracy of about one ten-billionth of a second, scientists expected to measure the relative location of participating ground stations within one inch or a few centimeters. These measurements allowed scientists to track and analyze tectonic plate movement and continental drift. The spacecraft, called the LAser GEOdynamics Satellite (LAGEOS), was the precursor to the current-day Global Positioning System (GPS) system operated by the Defense Department.
Full Description
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Date:
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01/01/1976
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NASA Center:
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Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA_Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Center
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Subject Category:
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Space Probes
Subject_Category
Space Probes
Subject Category
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Keywords:
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Satellite
Keywords
Satellite
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Delta
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Keywords:
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Laser
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Keywords:
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Geodetic
Keywords
Geodetic
Keywords
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Audience:
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General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
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facet_what:
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Beam
facet_what
Beam
facet_what
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facet_what:
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LAGEOS
facet_what
LAGEOS
facet_what
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facet_where:
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California
facet_where
California
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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1976
facet_when
1976
facet_when
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facet_when:
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01-01-1976
facet_when
01-01-1976
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1976
facet_when_year
1976
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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L-76-3
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original_url:
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original_url
original_url
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 1329
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 1329
UID
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Center:
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GSFC
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Center Number:
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L-76-3
Center_Number
L-76-3
Center Number
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2000-001329
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2000-001329
GRIN DataBase Number
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA
Creator-Photographer
NASA
Creator-Photographer
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Original Source:
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DIGITAL
Original_Source
DIGITAL
Original Source
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