John Marchant said: >Don't know what else EGP has on it, but if it's an uncontrolled >sphere studded with corner cube reflectors and nothing else, then its >primary purpose is to act as a reflector for laser ranging. There are >a few dozen of these sites around the world, using satellites like >EGP and others (e.g. ERS-1, fitted with a few reflectors on the >side. The data's used for research into the upper atmosphere, tectonic >shift, etc. Actually, EGP is more wonderful than that. In my experience, corner cubes don't look like much to the binocular aided eye. EGP is a six foot diameter sphere, and the parts of the surface that don't have corner cubes are covered with flat mirrors! A marvelous satellite to look at, and the only one that I could identify by sight when it unexpectedly crossed my field of view during an observing session a few years ago. (And, yes, it is listed as a Geodetic satellite.) Bill L. ------------------------------------------------------------------ William H. Leininger | Ph: (708) 797-8871 Macintosh developer for hire | 15 S. Maple Lane http://empire.watervalley.net/users/whl/ | Prospect Hts, IL 60070