On the orbit of the LARES satellite

Abstract

This paper is motivated by the recent possibility to find an inexpensive launching vehicle for the LARES satellite, however at an altitude much lower than originally planned for the LAGEOS III/LARES satellite. We present here a preliminary error analysis corresponding to a lower, quasi-polar, orbit, in particular we analyze the effect on the LARES node of the Earth's static gravitational field, and in particular of the Earth's even zonal harmonics, the effect of the time dependent Earth's gravitational field, and in particular of the K1 tide, and the effect of particle drag.