The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be a large-scale space mission designed to detect one of the most elusive phenomena in astronomy – gravitational waves. It will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory.
Mission Status
So what is the general state of play right now? Is LISA mission on time and what is next? And will we not miss the launch?
Ask LISA
The new page “Questions about LISA” provides answers to FAQ’s around the mission. Check out the TOP3 in mission & concept.
MIssion concept
Have any of the methods or technologies been tested in advance? It all looks so sophisticated – can it work like that?
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be a large-scale space mission designed to detect one of the most elusive phenomena in astronomy – gravitational waves. It will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory.
LISA will consist of three spacecraft separated by 2.5 million km in a triangular formation, following Earth about 50 million km in its orbit around the Sun.
The LISA launch is expected in 2035. This year LISA passes a major ESA milestone of Mission Adoption Review during which a mission transitions from a study phase to an implementation phase.
With LISA we will be able to observe the entire universe directly with gravitational waves, learning about the formation of structure and galaxies, stellar evolution, the early universe, and the structure and nature of spacetime itself.
The LISA Consortium is a large international collaboration that combines the resources and expertise from scientists in many countries all over the world. Together with ESA, its member states, and NASA, the LISA Consortium is working to bring the LISA Mission to fruition.
Mission Concept [MISSION-section-intro-sl01-HL]
Mission Concept
LISA will be a completely new type of space mission: it will have mind-boggling dimensions and be more sensitive than anything that has launched before.
Mission Concept
Mission Concept
LISA will be a completely new type of space mission: it will have mind-boggling dimensions and be more sensitive than anything that has launched before.
The classical distinction between a spacecraft and its payload doesn’t fit the LISA mission well. LISA is different because each of its three spacecraft is part of the scientific instrument – it protects key elements, the free-falling test masses, from disturbances.
Mission Concept
Mission Concept
LISA will be a completely new type of space mission: it will have mind-boggling dimensions and be more sensitive than anything that has launched before.
The three satellites, separated by 2.5 million km, will be connected by laser arms forming a high precision instrument – the first laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory in space.
Mission Concept
Mission Concept
LISA will be a completely new type of space mission: it will have mind-boggling dimensions and be more sensitive than anything that has launched before.
With its high precision measurement system, LISA will observe a passing gravitational wave directly by measuring the changes of distance between two freely falling test masses inside the sciencecraft.
Mission Concept
Mission Concept
LISA will be a completely new type of space mission: it will have mind-boggling dimensions and be more sensitive than anything that has launched before.
While observing the Universe, LISA will collect and process terabytes of data using thousands of Central Processing Units (CPUs). The Data Processing Centre (DPC) will provide the hardware and software infrastructure and means to store and process those data.
You are familiar with the answers here … but not all of them? Go ahead for the rest.
You are familiar with the answers here … but not all of them?
Then go ahead and look at the rest of the list .
Would you like to see more elaborate answers to these questions or answers to other questions about LISA? Here is a complete list.
Ask about the Mission
General questions about the theory and science behind this project?
General questions about the theory and science behind this project?
Ask about the Mission
General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:
General questions about the theory and science behind this project?
The LISA mission is designed for 4 years of nominal science operations, with a potential extended mission of up to 6 years.
Ask about the Mission
General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:
General questions about the theory and science behind this project?
Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.
LISA’s million-kilometer-scale arm lengths are optimized to observe gravitational waves with milliHertz frequencies. These low-frequency gravitational waves don’t influence detector like LIGO very much since they are optimized to detect frequencies in the tens to hundreds of Hertz. The two types of observatories complement one another, just like how different types of electromagnetic observatory (e.g. radio, optical, X-ray, etc.) complement one another.
Ask about the Mission
General questions about the theory and science behind this project? From a more comprehensive list, here are the top 3 FAQ entries:
General questions about the theory and science behind this project?
Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by some of the most powerful astrophysical events – such as exploding stars and collisions of two black holes at the centres of galaxies. Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light through the universe, unhindered by intervening mass – to gravitational waves the universe is transparent. That is why gravitational waves are the cosmic messengers that allow us to explore the so far dark side of the universe.
The Gravitational Universe will open a new window in astronomy using powerful sources of gravitational waves to probe a universe that cannot be probed by other means. Significant advances were made, by using our first sense for observing the universe, electromagnetic radiation. But most of the universe remains electromagnetically dark because on astronomical scales gravitation is the real engine of the universe. LISA will provide us with a new sense for observing the so far dark universe. It will let us listen to gravity and thus let us go further than any alternative.
Technology Demonstrator – Done
Pilote Project
(P)
Proposal Phase
–
Done
Community / Scientists propose this great idea to ESA; Proposal Selection.
(0)
Assessment Phase
–
Done
Definitions of needs and first requirements; … mission technically possible!
(A)
Feasibility Phase
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Done
Prime contractor competition; Developing first designs of the mission.
(B1)
Refinement Phase
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Done
Refine Mission Definition; Choose final Design; Compose the big mission document (Red Book)
(B2/C/D)
Implementation Phase
–
begins after adoption
Time to build the mission!
(E)
Launch Phase
The launch campaign is complete, the systems and teams at ESOC are ready. At Europe’s Spaceport, the satellites sits on top of its launcher.
Observation Phase
Performance (in Space)
Technology Demonstrator – done
Proposal Phase- Done
(P)
Assessment Phase – Done
(0)
Feasibility Phase – Done
(A)
Refinement Phase – Ongoing
(B1)
Implementation Phase
(C/D)
Launch Phase
(E)
Observation Phase
Performance (in Space)
LISA´s discovery potential is enormous and will complement the observations from ground-based instruments. LISA will enrich future astronomy.
Technology Demonstrator – Done
LISA Pathfinder
Proposal Phase – Done
(P)
Assessment Phase – Done
(0)
Feasibility Phase – Done
(A)
Refinement Phase – Ongoing
(B1)
Implementation Phase
(C/D)
Launch Phase
(E)
Observation Phase
Performance (in Space)
Dancing around the Sun [MISSION-section-info-slider01]
The LISA instrument will consist of three spacecraft in a triangular configuration with 2.5 million kilometer long (1.5 million mile long) arms, moving in an Earth-like orbit around the Sun.
LISA will consist of three spacecraft separated by 2.5 million km in a triangular formation, following Earth about 50 million km in its orbit around the Sun.
Dancing around the Sun [MISSION-section-info-slider02-HL]
LISA will be a triangular constellation with an inter-spacecraft separation of 2.5 million km. The constellation will maintain the triangular formation even though each spacecraft is in a separate orbit around the Sun.
The observatory scans the entire sky from space continuously and, as it follows the Earth in its orbit, gradually improves the localization of the gravitational wave sources it detects.
Dancing around the Sun [MISSION-section-info-slider03-HL]
LISA will be a triangular constellation with an inter-spacecraft separation of 2.5 million km. The constellation will maintain the triangular formation even though each spacecraft is in a separate orbit around the Sun.
This shows the orbits of the three LISA satellites as they follow the Earth around the Sun. The triangular satellite formation is an equilateral triangle with 2.5 million kilometer long sides. It is not shown to scale.