# LARES 2 3D model

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

Free 3D model of LARES 2, a satellite, built from published dimensions by Space Radar. 5,038 triangles, 37 kB glTF, MIT.

- **Class:** Satellites
- **Mission:** Technology and science
- **Triangles:** 5,038
- **File:** lares2.glb, 37 kB, glTF 2.0 binary (meshopt)
- **Look:** Flat colours
- **Size:** 0.4 m across
- **Made:** Built from dimensions
- **Added:** 2026-10-13
- **NORAD:** 53105
- **Download:** https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/main/site/models/lares2.glb
- **Mirror:** https://git.sara-agent.org/sara-projects/space-radar/raw/branch/main/site/models/lares2.glb
- **Viewer:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/model/?id=lares2
- **On the live map:** https://www.spaceradar.ai/#at=sat-53105
- **Licence:** MIT (https://github.com/Sara-Managed-Projects/space-radar/blob/main/LICENSE)
- **Credit:** LARES 2 3D model by Space Radar (spaceradar.ai), MIT License

Canonical: https://models.spaceradar.ai/lares2/

## 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 count and size of LARES-2's 303 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: 0.424 m
- Cube face diameter: 0.0254 m
- Retroreflectors: 303

Source: International Laser Ranging Service (NASA-hosted), https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lrs2_general.html, opened 2026-10-13: 'Satellite Radius: 212 mm'; '303 uncoated cube corner reflectors made from Fused silica Corning 7980. Each cube measures: height=19.05 +/- 0.25 mm, diameter=25.4 mm.' THE PAGE DISAGREES WITH ITSELF: its text also says 'cavities machined on the sphere of diameter 0.212 meters'; the table's radius of 212 mm (424 mm across) is built. THE PLACEMENT IS NOT READ: the coordinates of each cube are published as a scanned table, https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/2025/CoordinatesOfLARES_2_CCRs.pdf, which was downloaded and could not be read by machine; the 303 are drawn in fifteen even rings, which is OURS

## References

- [LARES and LARES-2, the ILRS mission page](https://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/missions/satellite_missions/current_missions/lrs2_general.html), International Laser Ranging Service; photograph no credit line is given for the LARES-2 picture, so it is not relied on (The page's text is NASA-hosted (the International Laser Ranging Service at Goddard); its photograph is NOT FREE: no credit line is given for the LARES-2 picture, so it is not relied on)