Iris-LAGEOS 2 - Manoeuvre preliminary analysis for nominal orbit acquisition

The results of an investigation of the feasibility of a second mission for the Laser Geodynamics Satellite (LAGEOS-II) are reported. A brief mission profile is presented which describes the strategy for the LAGEOS orbital maneuvers, and the statistical distribution of the final orbital parameters are analyzed as a function of the performance characteristics of the apogee and perigee stages. The objective of the LAGEOS-I mission was the accurate measurement of the movements of the earth's crust and the earth's rotational motion by laser ranging techniques.