# LARES 3D model

> Shape built from published dimensions and pictures; details simplified.

Free 3D model of LARES, a satellite, built from published dimensions by Space Radar. 5,948 triangles, 32 kB glTF, MIT.

- **Class:** Satellites
- **Mission:** Technology and science
- **Triangles:** 5,948
- **File:** lares.glb, 32 kB, glTF 2.0 binary (meshopt)
- **Look:** Flat colours
- **Size:** 0.4 m across
- **Made:** Built from dimensions
- **Added:** 2026-10-13
- **NORAD:** 38077
- **Download:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/main/site/models/lares.glb
- **Mirror:** https://git.sara-agent.org/sara-projects/space-radar/raw/branch/main/site/models/lares.glb
- **Viewer:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/model/?id=lares
- **On the live map:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/#at=sat-38077
- **Licence:** MIT (https://github.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/blob/main/LICENSE)
- **Credit:** LARES 3D model by Space Radar (spaceradar.ai), MIT License

Canonical: https://models.spaceradar.ai/lares/

## How it was made

Built in code from published dimensions and photographs, with no image-to-3D generator and no one else’s mesh. 3D model: built by Space Radar from the published arrangement of LARES's 92 retroreflectors.

built by this project in code (the private tool model-from-images: assemble.py, from a yaml of primitives), from the cited dimensions and the pictures under `references`; no image-to-3D model was used, and no published mesh

## Dimensions

- Diameter: 0.364 m
- Cube face diameter: 0.0381 m
- Retroreflectors: 92

Source: International Laser Ranging Service (NASA-hosted), https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lars_general.html and lars_reflector.html, opened 2026-10-13: 'Satellite Radius: 182 mm'; 'covered with 92 uncoated cube corner reflectors made from Suprasil 311. Each cube measures: height=27.889 mm, diameter=38.10 mm.' The rings: the LARES Mission Support Request form, https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/LARES_MSR_final_version_revCP.pdf, opened 2026-10-13, table 'CCRs rows position' (row, cubes, latitude, step in longitude, first cavity): 'I 1 90.00', 'II 5 70.00 72.00 0', 'III 10 50.00 36.00 23', 'IV 14 30.00 25.714 0', 'V 16 10.00 22.50 11.25', and the same five rows south: 2 x (1 + 5 + 10 + 14 + 16) = 92; 'Recess of the front faces from the spherical surface is 2.6 +0.1/-0.2 mm'. NOT CITED: the first cavity of each SOUTHERN row (drawn as the northern)

## References

- [LARES, the ILRS mission page](https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lars_general.html), International Laser Ranging Service; photograph 'Courtesy of ASI' (The page's text is NASA-hosted (the International Laser Ranging Service at Goddard); its photograph is NOT FREE: 'Courtesy of ASI')