Hannover 2010 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 68: Laser Applications: Optical Measurement Technology II
Q 68.3: Talk
Friday, March 12, 2010, 14:30–14:45, F 342
LISA Pathfinder interferometry: Space hardware tests at the AEI — •Heather Audley1, Antonio Garcia Marin1, Frank Steier1, Miquel Nofrarias1, Gerhard Heinzel1, Karsten Danzmann1, Vinzenz Wand2, Peter Luetzow-Wentzky2, Gerald Hechenblaikner2, and Dominico Gerardi2 — 1Albert-Einstein-Institut Hannover: Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik und Universität Hannover, Deutschland — 2EADS Astrium Satellites GmbH, Friedrichshafen, Deutschland
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a joint ESA-NASA mission for the first space-borne gravitational wave detector, operating in the measurement band from 0.1 mHz to 1 Hz. A precursor satellite, LISA Pathfinder, will be used to demonstrate core LISA technologies that cannot be tested on the ground. Tests of the engineering model of the LISA Pathfinder optical metrology system (OMS) have recently been undertaken in the Albert Einstein Institute, Hannover, in conjunction with ESA and EADS Astrium. Significantly, they represent the first complete integration and testing of the space-qualified hardware. The results and test procedures of this campaign will be utilised directly in the ground-based flight hardware tests, and subsequently within in-flight operations. This talk presents an overview of this test campaign, with specific focus on calibration of the OMS outputs and optimisation of key measurement sensitivities.