Laser Interferometry Space Antenna

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a mission that will detect and study gravitational waves coming from sources involving massive black holes and galactic binaries.

As the first dedicated space-based gravitational wave observatory, LISA will detect waves generated by binaries within our Galaxy, the Milky Way, and by massive black holes in distant galaxies. Although gravitational wave searches in space have previously been made, they were conducted for short periods by planetary missions that had other primary science objectives. Some current missions are using microwave Doppler tracking to search for gravitational waves. However, LISA will use an advanced system of laser interferometry for detecting and measuring them. And, LISA will directly detect the existence of gravitational waves, rather than inferring it from the motion of celestial bodies, as has been done previously.

Additionally, LISA will make its observations in a low-frequency band that ground-based detectors can't achieve. This difference in frequency bands makes LISA and ground detectors complementary rather than competitive. This range of frequencies is similar to the various types of wavelengths applied in astronomy, such as ultraviolet and infrared. Each provides different information.

External links

* [http://lisa.jpl.nasa.gov/ LISA Homepage]