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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

In-Orbit Performance of the GRACE Follow-on Laser Ranging Interferometer.

TLDR
The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) instrument on the GRACE Follow-On mission has provided the first laser interferometric range measurements between remote spacecraft, separated by approximately 220 km.
Abstract
The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) instrument on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission has provided the first laser interferometric range measurements between remote spacecraft, separated by approximately 220 km. Autonomous controls that lock the laser frequency to a cavity reference and establish the 5 degrees of freedom two-way laser link between remote spacecraft succeeded on the first attempt. Active beam pointing based on differential wave front sensing compensates spacecraft attitude fluctuations. The LRI has operated continuously without breaks in phase tracking for more than 50 days, and has shown biased range measurements similar to the primary ranging instrument based on microwaves, but with much less noise at a level of 1  nm/sqrt[Hz] at Fourier frequencies above 100 mHz.

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Gravitational-wave physics and astronomy in the 2020s and 2030s

TL;DR: The field of gravitational-wave astronomy is just starting, and this Roadmap of future developments surveys the potential for growth in bandwidth and sensitivity of future gravitationalwave detectors, and discusses the science results anticipated to come from upcoming instruments as discussed by the authors.
Posted Content

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna: Unveiling the Millihertz Gravitational Wave Sky

TL;DR: The first terrestrial gravitational wave interferometers have dramatically underscored the scientific value of observing the Universe through an entirely different window, and of folding this new channel of information with traditional astronomical data for a multimessenger view as discussed by the authors.
Journal ArticleDOI

Hopes and concerns for astronomy of satellite constellations

TL;DR: The launch of the first several hundred out of 12,000 planned Starlink satellites heralds the arrival of the era of ultra-large satellite constellations if it will bring new opportunities or insurmountable challenges to astronomy will probably depend on whether the observations in space or from the surface of the Earth as mentioned in this paper.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

GRACE measurements of mass variability in the Earth system.

TL;DR: Geoid variations observed over South America that can be largely attributed to surface water and groundwater changes show a clear separation between the large Amazon watershed and the smaller watersheds to the north.
Journal ArticleDOI

GGM02 - An Improved Earth Gravity Field Model from GRACE

TL;DR: A new generation of Earth gravity field models called GGM02 are derived using approximately 14 months of data spanning from April 2002 to December 2003 from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) as discussed by the authors.
Journal ArticleDOI

Intersatellite laser ranging instrument for the GRACE follow-on mission

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the top-level architecture of an interferometric laser ranging system designed to demonstrate the technology which can also operate in parallel with the microwave ranging system of the GRACE follow-on mission.
Journal ArticleDOI

Beyond the Required LISA Free-Fall Performance: New LISA Pathfinder Results down to 20 μHz.

Michele Armano, +78 more
TL;DR: This performance provides an experimental benchmark demonstrating the ability to realize the low-frequency science potential of the LISA mission, recently selected by the European Space Agency.
Journal ArticleDOI

Automatic alignment of optical interferometers

TL;DR: A system for automatic alignment of optical interferometers relies on using differential phase modulation to permit the detection of the phase difference between two fundamental-mode Gaussian beams at the output of an interferometer.
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