Other
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21548216g&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #482.16; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.576
Other
Scientific paper
The space-based gravitational wave observatory LISA is a joint NASA-ESA mission that requires challenging technology to ensure pure geodetic trajectories of test masses and the interferometric measurement of distance variations between them. The LISA Pathfinder mission is an ESA-launched technology demonstrator of key LISA subsystems such as spacecraft control with micronewton thrusters, test mass drag-free control, and precision laser interferometry between free-flying test masses.
Ground testing of pre-flight hardware of the Gravitational Reference Sensor and Optical Metrology subsystems is currently ongoing. Studies have been carried out on very sensitive torsion pendulums that effectively reproduce a free-fall condition for the test mass within a horizontal plane in the lab, down to frequencies < 0.1 mHz. Thermal gradient induced effects, impact of gas molecules, noisy charging, surface charge patches, and other effects have been investigated and their physical models consolidated. A final upper limit on non-modeled disturbances has also been obtained within one order of magnitude of LISA requirements at 1 mHz. The interferometry system has also been extensively studied to identify noise sources and develop approaches to mitigate them. Engineering models of the optical bench, laser head and laser modulators have been interconnected and tested for functionality and noise level in closed-loop operation, demonstrating the required optical metrology sensitivity to test mass displacement.
This poster presents the current status in the development and implementation of LISA Pathfinder pre-flight systems and latest results of the ongoing ground testing efforts.
Guzman Felipe
LISA Pathfinder Team
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