Title :
The science, technology and mission design for the laser astrometric test of relativity
Author :
Turyshev, Slava G.
Author_Institution :
Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA
Abstract :
The laser astrometric test of relativity (LATOR) is a Michelson-Morley-type experiment designed to test the Einstein´s general theory of relativity in the most intense gravitational environment available in the solar system - the close proximity to the Sun. By using independent time-series of highly accurate measurements of the Shapiro time-delay (laser ranging accurate to 1 cm) and interferometric astrometry (accurate to 0.1 picoradian), LATOR will measure gravitational deflection of light by the solar gravity with accuracy of 1 part in a billion, a factor ~30,000 better than currently available. LATOR will perform series of highly-accurate tests of gravitation and cosmology in its search for cosmological remnants of scalar field in the solar system. We present science, technology and mission design for the LATOR mission
Keywords :
Sun; astrometry; general relativity; gravitational experiments; light interferometers; solar system; Michelson-Morley-type experiment; Shapiro time-delay; close proximity; cosmological remnants; independent time-series analysis; interferometric astrometry; laser astrometric test of relativity; light gravitational deflection; solar gravity; solar system; theory of relativity; Current measurement; Extraterrestrial measurements; Gravity; Laser theory; Optical design; Optical interferometry; Performance evaluation; Solar system; Sun; System testing;
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace Conference, 2006 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Big Sky, MT
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-9545-X
DOI :
10.1109/AERO.2006.1655942
