A new satellite for geodesy and for testing relativity ~ Dr Graham Appleby

In my previous talk I looked at the high-precision geodetic techniques in use primarily to define a global terrestrial reference frame that is approaching mm-accuracy. Tomorrow’s talk we look more specifically at the laser ranging technique as it is being applied to test a particular prediction of Einstein’s General Relativity. Within the last few months, the launch of a newly-designed geodetic satellite has the potential to test at higher accuracy than ever before the so-called Frame-Dragging consequence of GR where local space-time is twisted as the result of rotation of a massive body, in this case the Earth.