Measurement of the Lense-Thirring drag on high-altitude, laser-ranged artificial satellites

Abstract

We describe a new method of measuring the Lense-Thirring relativistic nodal drag using LAGEOS together with another high-altitude, laser-ranged, similar satellite with appropriately chosen orbital parameters. We propose, for this purpose, that a future satellite such as LAGEOS II have an inclination supplementary to that of LAGEOS. The experiment proposed here would provide a method for experimental verification of the general relativistic formulation of Mach's principle and measurement of the gravitomagnetic field.