The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a joint mission between the European Space Agency and NASA .

LISA is part of NASA's Beyond Einstein Program in the Structure and Evolution of the Universe Theme.

LISA's goal is to detect gravitational waves generated by highly accelerated masses. Expected signals range from galactic neutron star binaries to merging super massive black holes in colliding galaxies.

LISA will consist of 3 spacecraft flying in a triangular formation with a 5 million km baseline. Each spacecraft will house two freely falling proof masses. Laser interferometer will monitor the distances between the proof masses on different spacecraft with 10pm/rtHz accuracy.

The two main technological challenges in LISA are the disturbance reduction system and the laser interferometry. The disturbance reduction system has to measure the position of the proof mass with respect to the spacecraft, steer the spacecraft around the proof mass, and reduce all external forces on the proof mass to below fN/rtHz. The laser interferometry system has to monitor the distance between the proof masses with signals highly dominated by laser frequency noise, Doppler shifts, spacecraft motion, and clock noise.

Our group is setting up an experimental testbed to study the interferometry, the data acquisition, the noise cancellation algorithms, and to verify data analysis techniques.

For more information about the LISA program you can visit http://lisa.nasa.gov .