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ESA Approves Ambitious LISA Mission to Detect Gravitational Waves in Space

Set for a 2035 launch, the mission will involve three spacecraft flying in formation, with NASA providing key components and support.

Overview

  • European Space Agency (ESA) has formally approved the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission to detect gravitational waves in space.
  • LISA, set to launch in 2035, will consist of three spacecraft flying in a triangular formation, each 2.5 million kilometers apart, exchanging laser beams to detect distortions caused by gravitational waves.
  • Gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein and first detected in 2015, are ripples in space-time caused by massive cosmic events like black hole collisions.
  • NASA will be a major partner in the mission, providing key components including lasers, telescopes, and devices to reduce disturbances from electromagnetic charges.
  • The mission, which has been in development for decades, is expected to provide significant insights into the history of the universe and the properties of supermassive black holes.