LARES 2

 

By Nicholas Steggall

LARES 2

Laser Relativity Satellite 2 is a passive satellite by the Italian Space Agency.

LARES-1, was launched into orbit on 13 February 2012. It was launched on the first Vega rocket from the ESA Centre Spatiale Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana. LARES-2 is scheduled for launch on the maiden flight of the Vega C rocket no earlier than July 13.

The main scientific target of the LARES mission is the measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect, a predictor of general relativity, with an accuracy of about 1%. LARES 2 may improve the accuracy of the frame-dragging effect measurement.

The media kit can be accessed from the following link.

https://esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Vega/Vega-C_inaugural_flight_VV21_media_kit