LARES-2 and LAGEOS satellites confirm Einstein's frame-dragging effect

Data from the LARES-2 and LAGEOS satellites have provided a highly precise measurement of the frame-dragging effect, confirming Albert Einstein’s predictions regarding general relativity. By analyzing approximately 1,050 days of observations from July 2022 to June 2025, researchers determined that the Earth's rotation twists the surrounding spacetime, causing an annual orbital plane shift of approximately 30.7 milliarcseconds.

The satellites orbit at an altitude of roughly 5,900 kilometers. Using laser ranging from ground stations, scientists can track minute changes in their orbits. The LARES-2 satellite, launched in 2022, features a high mass-to-surface-area ratio—weighing 295 kilograms despite being only 42 centimeters in diameter—which makes it exceptionally resistant to solar radiation pressure.

This measurement is roughly ten times more accurate than previous tests within the solar system, confirming the effect with a relative uncertainty of about 0.2 percent. The study utilized data from the GRACE and GRACE Follow-On missions to account for Earth's irregular gravity field, further refining the results.