Europe’s Ambitious Lisa Mission Receives Green Light to Study Gravitational Waves
One of the most ambitious and expensive space missions ever undertaken by Europe has been given the go-ahead. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (Lisa) aims to detect gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by the collision of massive black holes. This groundbreaking mission will involve three spacecraft firing lasers at each other across a distance of 2.5 million km (1.5 million miles). With a projected budget of €1.75bn (£1.5bn; $1.9bn), Lisa is set to launch no earlier than 2035.
Gravitational waves have long been predicted by Albert Einstein’s equations and were first detected on Earth in 2015. However, by taking detectors into space, scientists hope to observe much longer wavelength phenomena. Lisa will focus on studying supermassive black holes, which are millions of times the mass of our Sun. These cosmic giants are closely linked to the formation and evolution of galaxies, and understanding their properties will shed light on the development of the universe.
On Earth, gravitational waves are detected by measuring the perturbations they cause in the path of laser light. Lisa will employ the same principle but over a much greater distance, using three identical spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle. The precision required for this mission is astounding, as the signal from gravitational waves is incredibly faint, measuring just fractions of an atom’s width. To put it into perspective, scientists compare it to measuring the change in distance to Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to Earth, with the thickness of a piece of paper.
Lisa has been in development for several decades and has faced numerous challenges along the way, including the fluctuating involvement of the United States. However, the Americans are now fully committed to the project and will contribute vital technologies, such as the lasers. The European Space Agency (Esa) selected Lisa as a candidate mission in 2017, and since then, technical staff, along with support from European industry and academia, have been assessing its feasibility. With a positive assessment, Esa has formally adopted the project, and major industrial contracts will soon be awarded across Europe.
The United Kingdom is set to play a significant role in the Lisa mission. British scientists and engineers will provide the optical benches, which are mirror systems that control the laser beams’ behavior for precise monitoring. Additionally, one of the main data distribution centers will be hosted in the UK. The UK Space Agency has expressed its support for the project, pending a business case submission to secure funding from the Treasury.
Lisa’s mission to study gravitational waves represents a remarkable fusion of science fiction and scientific reality. By delving into the mysteries of physics and probing the nature of space-time, this mission has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the universe. While the cost may seem substantial, Esa’s director of science, Prof Carole Mundell, likens it to the price of a cup of coffee per European citizen and believes it offers great value for money. With Lisa’s launch still over a decade away, scientists and space enthusiasts eagerly await the groundbreaking discoveries that lie ahead.
In addition to Lisa, the European Space Agency’s Science Programme Committee also adopted the Envision mission concept, which aims to explore Venus. These two missions represent Europe’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos.
Sources:
– BBC News: Europe’s Ambitious Lisa Mission Receives Green Light to Study Gravitational Waves
– Airbus DS