S M Merkowitz et al 2005 Class. Quantum Grav. 22 S413 doi:10.1088/0264-9381/22/10/037
S M Merkowitz1, A Ahmad1, T T Hyde1, T Sweetser2, J Ziemer2, S Conkey3, W Kelly III3 and B Shirgur3
Show affiliationsThe Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a space-borne gravitational wave detector consisting of three sciencecraft in heliocentric orbit. Each sciencecraft is delivered to its operational orbit by a propulsion module. Because of the strict thermal and mass balancing requirements of LISA, the baseline mission concept requires that the propulsion module separate from the sciencecraft after delivery. The only propulsion system currently included in the sciencecraft design are micronewton level thrusters, such as field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) or colloid thrusters, that are used to balance the 30–40 µN of solar radiation pressure and provide the drag-free and attitude control of the sciencecraft. Due to these thrusters' limited authority, the separation of the propulsion module from the sciencecraft must be well controlled to not induce a large tip-off rotation of the sciencecraft. We present here the results of a study of the propulsion module separation system requirements that are necessary to safely deliver the three LISA sciencecraft to their final operational orbits.
04.80.Nn Gravitational wave detectors and experiments
95.10.Eg Orbit determination and improvement
Issue 10 (21 May 2005)
Received 20 December 2004, in final form 24 February 2005
Published 28 April 2005
S M Merkowitz et al 2005 Class. Quantum Grav. 22 S413
Vicent J. Martínez et al 2009 ApJ 696 L93
Theodore H Sweetser 2005 Class. Quantum Grav. 22 S429
R B Mann and M B Young 2007 Class. Quantum Grav. 24 951
C P Pang et al 2003 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 36 1764
O Lavrova et al 2006 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 18 S2657
Ian M Mills et al 2006 Metrologia 43 227
J Baudon et al 1999 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 32 R173
G Trapon et al 2003 Metrologia 40 159
P Cornille 1990 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 23 129