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    Stella

    Stella
    A French geodetic satellite, carrying 60 laser reflectors mounted on a dense sphere of uranium alloy, which is tracked to measure small perturbations in Earth’s gravitational field. Reflected laser beams enable measurements, accurate to about 1 cm, of the geoid, oceanic and terrestrial tides, and tectonic movements. Stella’s twin, Starlette, launched in 1975, is also still in use. See also France in space.


    Launch date Sep. 26, 1993
    Launch vehicle Ariane 4
    Launch site Kourou
    Orbit 793 × 803 km × 98.7°
    Mass 48 kg


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    Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site)


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