The Science, Technology and Mission Design for the Laser Astrometric Test of Relativity
Abstract
Description
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.
16 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. To appear in proceedings of the "2006 IEEE Aerospace Conference," Big Sky, MT, March 4-11, 2006
16 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. To appear in proceedings of the "2006 IEEE Aerospace Conference," Big Sky, MT, March 4-11, 2006