Thales Alenia Space, joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), signed a 263 million euro contract Prime Contractor OHB for the development of key components of the Lisa mission (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) ofEuropean Space Agency (Esa). Lisa will be the first space observatory dedicated toobservation of gravitational waves, opening new frontiers in understanding the universe.
What is the Lisa mission?
The Lisa mission will be based on a constellation of three satellites positioned 2,5 million kilometers from each other, forming a triangle in space which will orbit the Sun following the Earth. This highly sophisticated system will allow detect gravitational waves, that is, ripples in space-time predicted by Einstein's theory, produced by extreme cosmic events such as the merger of supermassive black holes or the interaction of compact stars.
Unlike ground-based observatories, Lisa will be able to pick up lower frequencies and weaker signals, allowing us to probe remote eras of the universe, before the formation of stars and galaxies. Each satellite will be equipped with two reference masses and will transmit laser beams to the other two satellites to measure displacements with a precision ten times greater than that of an atom. The launch is scheduled for 2035 aboard an Ariane 64 rocket.
The technological contribution of Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo
Thales Alenia Space will take care of the development of key elements for Lisa, including avionics, control software, telecommunications system and the “drag-free” attitude control system (Dfacs), essential to compensate for non-gravitational forces that could alter the movement of the reference masses. Leonardo, partner in the joint venture, will supply the micro-thrusters high-precision necessary to keep the satellites in a “drag-free” condition and to aim the laser beams at such vast distances.
A legacy consolidated between past and future
The Lisa mission is based on a solid experience gained with previous projects including Lisa Pathfinder, which successfully demonstrated the ability to maintain masses in free fall with unprecedented accuracy, and the Euclid satellite, equipped with already tested high-precision micro-thrusters. These successes consolidate confidence in the technologies used and represent a springboard for this new scientific challenge.
"We are proud to contribute to a mission so ambitious and innovative, which takes advantage of our long experience in European scientific missions. From the Goce mission, the first satellite with a 'drag-free' control system, to Euclid, we continue to put our technology at the service of science and space exploration”, he commented Giampiero Di Paolo, Ad of Thales Alenia Space Italy.
