Structure
EGP is entirely passive, and operates by reflecting sunlight or ground-based lasers. The satellite is a 685-kg hollow sphere with a diameter of 2.15 meters, and the surface is covered with 318 mirrors for reflecting sunlight and 1436 corner reflectors for reflecting laser beams. The mirrors are 10x10 inches, and the corner reflectors are one inch in diameter and grouped into 120 laser reflection assemblies.
Read more about this topic: Experimental Geodetic Payload
Famous quotes containing the word structure:
“Who says that fictions only and false hair
Become a verse? Is there in truth no beauty?
Is all good structure in a winding stair?
May no lines pass, except they do their duty
Not to a true, but painted chair?”
—George Herbert (1593–1633)
“Man is more disposed to domination than freedom; and a structure of dominion not only gladdens the eye of the master who rears and protects it, but even its servants are uplifted by the thought that they are members of a whole, which rises high above the life and strength of single generations.”
—Karl Wilhelm Von Humboldt (1767–1835)
“Vashtar: So it’s finished. A structure to house one man and the greatest treasure of all time.
Senta: And a structure that will last for all time.
Vashtar: Only history will tell that.
Senta: Sire, will he not be remembered?
Vashtar: Yes, he’ll be remembered. The pyramid’ll keep his memory alive. In that he built better than he knew.”
—William Faulkner (1897–1962)