The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Artist's impression of LISA Pathfinder.
LISA Pathfinder will test in flight the concept of low-frequency gravitational wave detection: it will put two test masses in a near-perfect gravitational free-fall, and control and measure their motion with unprecedented accuracy. To do this it will use inertial sensors, a laser metrology system, a drag-free control system and an ultra-precise micro-propulsion system.
LISA Pathfinder carries two advanced instruments: The LTP (LISA Technology Package), a payload developed by European institutes and industry. It contains two identical proof masses in the form of 46 mm cubes made of gold-platinum, each suspending in its own vacuum can. They shall simulate the observational arrangement for the LISA mission, with the difference that the distance between the proof masses is reduced from 5 million kilometres to 35 centimetres.
The Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) is an experiment provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, which includes also a set of micro-rockets that aim to control the spacecraft’s position to within a millionth of a millimetre.
LISA Pathfinder is scheduled for launch in 2015.