From laboratory experiments to LISA Pathfinder: achieving LISA geodesic motion

F Antonucci (1) , M Armano (2) , H Audley (3) , G Auger (4) , M Benedetti (5) , P Binetruy (4) , C Boatella (6) , J Bogenstahl (3) , D Bortoluzzi (5) , P Bosetti (5) , N Brandt (7) , M Caleno (8) , A Cavalleri (1) , M Cesa (8) , M Chmeissani (9) , G Ciani (10) , A Conchillo (11) , G Congedo (1) , I Cristofolini (5) , M Cruise (12) , K Danzmann (3) , F de Marchi (1) , M Diaz-Aguilo (13) , I Diepholz (3) , G Dixon (12) , R Dolesi (1) , N Dunbar (14) , J Fauste (2) , L Ferraioli (1) , D Fertin (8) , W Fichter (15) , E Fitzsimons (16) , M Freschi (2) , A García Marin (3) , C García Marirrodrigai (8) , R Gerndt (17) , L Gesa (11) , F Gilbert (11) , D Giardini (18) , C Grimani (19) , A Grynagier (20) , B Guillaume (8) , F Guzmán (21) , I Harrison (22) , G Heinzel (3) , M Hewitson (3) , D Hollington (23) , J Hough (16) , D Hoyland (12) , M Hueller (24) , J Huesler (8) , O Jeannin (4) , O Jennrich (8) , P Jetzer (25) , B Johlander (8) , C Killow (16) , X Llamas (26) , I Lloro (11) , A Lobo (11) , R Maarschalkerweerd (22) , S Madden (8) , D Mance (18) , I Mateos (11) , P W Mcnamara (8) , J Mendes (22) , E Mitchell (23) , A Monsky (3) , D Nicolini (8) , D Nicolodi (1) , M Nofrarias (3) , F Pedersen (8) , M Perreur-Lloyd (16) , A Perreca (1) , E. Plagnol (4) , P Prat (4) , G D Racca (8) , B Rais (4) , J Ramos-Castro (27) , J Reiche (3) , J A Romera Perez (8) , D Robertson (16) , H Rozemeijer (8) , J Sanjuan (10) , A Schleicher (7) , M Schulte (23) , D Shaul (23) , L Stagnaro (8) , S Strandmoe (8) , F Steier (3) , T J Sumner (23) , A Taylor (16) , D Texier (2) , C Trenkel (14) , D Tombolato (1) , S Vitale (1) , G Wanner (3) , H Ward (16) , S Waschke (23) , P Wass (23) , W J Weber (1) , P Zweifel (18)

1 Gruppo Collegato di Trento
2 ESAC - European Space Astronomy Centre
3 AEI - Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik ( Albert-Einstein-Institut )
4 APC (UMR_7164) - AstroParticule et Cosmologie
5 Gruppo Collegato di Trento
6 DCT / AQ / EC
7 Astrium GmbH
8 ESTEC - European Space Research and Technology Centre
9 IFAE - Institut de Física d’Altes Energies [Barcelone]
10 UF|Physics - Department of Physics [Gainesville]
11 Facultat de Ciències
12 School of Physics and Astronomy [Birmingham]
13 EPSC
14 Astrium Ltd
15 Institut für Flugmechanik und Flugregelung
16 SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy [Glasgow]
17 Astrium GmbH
18 Institut für Geophysik [Zürich]
19 Istituto di Fisica
20 Institut für Flugmechanik und Flugregelung
21 NASA
22 European Space Operations Centre
23 Blackett Laboratory
24 Dipartimento di Fisica
25 Institut für Theoretische Physik
26 NTE-SENER
27 Departament d'Enginyeria Electrònica [Barcelona]

This paper presents a quantitative assessment of the performance of the upcoming LISA Pathfinder geodesic explorer mission. The findings are based on the results of extensive ground testing and simulation campaigns using flight hardware and flight control and operations algorithms. The results show that, for the central experiment of measuring the stray differential acceleration between the LISA test masses, LISA Pathfinder will be able to verify the overall acceleration noise to within a factor two of the LISA requirement at 1 mHz and within a factor 10 at 0.1 mHz. We also discuss the key elements of the physical model of disturbances, coming from LISA Pathfinder and ground measurement, that will guarantee the LISA performance.

Mots clés: Physical Sciences

Domaines: Relativité Générale et Cosmologie Quantique [gr-qc]; Instrumentation et méthodes pour l'astrophysique [astro-ph.IM]

F Antonucci, M Armano, H Audley, G Auger, M Benedetti, et al.. From laboratory experiments to LISA Pathfinder: achieving LISA geodesic motion. Classical and Quantum Gravity, 2011, 28 (9), pp.94002. ⟨10.1088/0264-9381/28/9/094002⟩. ⟨hal-00695367⟩