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The Role of Friction in the LISA-Pathfinder Release Mechanism Anomaly

Bortoluzzi, Daniele; Vignotto, Davide; Radaelli, Paolo +4 more

Release mechanisms are crucial devices for the success of space missions. In LISA, the first gravitational waves observatory in space, the grabbing positioning and release mechanism (GPRM) is responsible for setting all the test masses (TMs) in the free-fall condition necessary for starting science observations. This mechanism is considered a key …