NASA advances LISA mission contributions with new test telescope
NASA has taken the next step in the process of developing a new all-glass telescope for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission, a space observatory designed to detect ripples in space-time called gravitational waves.
NASA has advanced the development of the LISA mission with the addition of a new engineering test telescope, designed by L3Harris Technologies. The LISA mission, led by the European Space Agency, is set to launch in the mid-2030s and aims to detect gravitational waves using infrared laser beams. The Engineering Test Unit will be the final preflight optical unit, incorporating lessons learned from prototype testing.
Made from thermally stable Zerodur, each telescope will exchange infrared laser signals across a three-spacecraft array to measure minuscule changes caused by low-frequency gravitational waves. This development marks an important step towards better understanding the universe and its phenomena.
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- NASA Advances LISA Mission Contributions With New Test Telescope science.nasa.gov
