Artist's conception of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) to be launched by 2035.
(Image Sources: NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wikipedia.org, By NASA - NASA, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10372273)
By Glenn A. Walsh
Reporting for SpaceWatchtower
With the first detection of Gravitational-Waves coming from a ground-based observatory in 2015, now there is a plan to expand the search for Gravitational-Waves with an observatory in Outer Space. This past week, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced an ambitious plan to launch the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) by 2035.
Gravitational-Waves, described as ripples in the fabric of Space-Time, have been very difficult to find since the search began more than two decades ago. Gravitational-Waves often are produced by the collision of large Black Holes.
Scientists believe that further study of Gravitational-Waves will help them learn more about the workings and history of our Universe. Learning more about the Black Holes and Supernovae that cause Gravitational-Waves may also help them learn more about the creation and evolution of the Galaxies these phenomena inhabit.
A space-based Laser observatory would allow researchers to detect Gravitational-Waves of much longer wavelengths than can be sensed on Earth. This would detect the collision of much larger Black Holes, which are millions of times the size of our Sun.
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna would use three spacecraft firing Lasers at each other, over distances larger than the orbit of Earth's Moon: ranging up to 1.5 million statute miles / 2.5 million kilometers. The three spacecraft detectors will be arranged in Outer Space as an equilateral triangle.
The spacecraft will be placed in orbit of the Sun, at the same distance from the Sun as the Earth, but trailing the Earth by 20 degrees. Each spacecraft will be built as a Zero-Drag Satellite, to eliminate light pressure and the Solar Wind from affecting the detection results.
Officials at the European Space Agency project the LISA budget will cost 1.75 billion Euros / 1.5 billion British Pounds / $1.5 billion. Additional funds are expected to come from member states such as Germany, France, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
NASA, which had been part of the original LISA proposal as far back as 1997, will also be part of this project. NASA's contribution will include more advanced technologies including Lasers.
Currently, the Earth-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) consists of two Laser stations in Hanford, Washington and Livingston, Louisiana, the largest and most ambitious project ever funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Built and operated by the California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the initial project ran from 2002 to 2010 when no Gravitational-Waves were found.
The Advanced LIGO Project began in 2008, with the enhanced detectors beginning operation in 2015. Two days after beginning operation, the first Gravitational-Wave was detected on 2015 September 14.
The detection of Gravitational-Waves confirmed a prediction of Albert Einstein's 1916 General Theory of Relativity. A new branch of observational Astronomy, Gravitational-Wave Astronomy obtains and studies data from highly-energetic sources of Gravitational-Waves such as Black Holes and Supernovae. Although predicted by Dr. Einstein, he had doubted whether Gravitational-Waves could ever actually be detected.
Three American physicists, who developed a Laser observatory which led to the detection of Gravitational-Waves, were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday, 2017 October 3. Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne of the California Institute of Technology and Rainer Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were given the annual award "for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of Gravitational-Waves."
Presently, Gravitational-Waves are detected in LIGO from the perturbations of Laser light as fired down 4-kilometer-long L-shaped tunnels. LISA will use the same principle, but over much larger distances in Outer Space.
Internet Links to Additional Information ---
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA):
Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_Interferometer_Space_Antenna
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO):
Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LIGO
Black Hole: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hole
Supernova / Supernovae: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova
Related Blog-Post ---
"Physics Nobel Prize Awarded to Developers of Laser Observatory." Sat., 2017 Oct. 7.
Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss
"Laser Observatory in Space to Expand Search for Gravity-Waves."
Saturday, 2024 January 27.
Artificial Intelligence not used in the writing of this article.
© Copyright 2024 Glenn A. Walsh, All Rights Reserved
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Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), America's fifth major planetarium and Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of only five libraries where both construction and endowment funded by famous industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>> http://www.planetarium.cc Buhl Observatory: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc
* Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html
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