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LISA Pathfinder platform stability and drag-free performance

Mendes, L.; Russano, G.; Lloro, I. +76 more

The science operations of the LISA Pathfinder mission have demonstrated the feasibility of sub-femto-g free fall of macroscopic test masses necessary to build a gravitational wave observatory in space such as LISA. While the main focus of interest, i.e., the optical axis or the x -axis, has been extensively studied, it is also of great importance …

LISA Pathfinder micronewton cold gas thrusters: In-flight characterization

Mendes, L.; Russano, G.; Lloro, I. +76 more

The LISA Pathfinder (LPF) mission has demonstrated the ability to limit and measure the fluctuations in acceleration between two free falling test masses down to sub-femto-g levels. One of the key elements to achieve such a level of residual acceleration is the drag free control. In this scheme the spacecraft is used as a shield against any extern…

Novel methods to measure the gravitational constant in space

Mendes, L.; Russano, G.; Nofrarias, M. +76 more

We present two novel methods, tested by LISA Pathfinder, to measure the gravitational constant G for the first time in space. Experiment 1 uses electrostatic suspension forces to measure a change in acceleration of a test mass due to a displaced source mass. Experiment 2 measures a change in relative acceleration between two test masses due to a s…