Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity Using Optical Devices I (ASTROD I)

A class-M fundamental physics mission proposal for Cosmic Vision 2015-2025

authored by: Thierry Appourchaux, Raymond Burston, Yanbei Chen, Michael Cruise, Hansjörg Dittus, Bernard Foulon, Patrick Gill, Laurent Gizon, Hugh Klein, Sergei Klioner, Sergei Kopeikin, Hans Krüger, Claus Lämmerzahl, Alberto Lobo, Xinlian Luo, Helen Margolis, Wei Tou Ni, Antonio Pulido Patón, Qiuhe Peng, Achim Peters, Ernst Rasel, Albrecht Rüdiger, Étienne Samain, Hanns Selig, Diana Shaul, Timothy Sumner, Stephan Theil, Pierre Touboul, Slava Turyshev, Haitao Wang, Li Wang, Linqing Wen, Andreas Wicht, Ji Wu, Xiaomin Zhang, Cheng Zhao
Abstract: ASTROD I is a planned interplanetary space mission with multiple goals. The primary aims are: to test general relativity with an improvement in sensitivity of over three orders of magnitude, improving our understanding of gravity and aiding the development of a new quantum gravity theory; to measure key solar system parameters with increased accuracy, advancing solar physics and our knowledge of the solar system; and to measure the time rate of change of the gravitational constant with an order of magnitude improvement and the anomalous Pioneer acceleration, thereby probing dark matter and dark energy gravitationally. It is an international project, with major contributions from Europe and China and is envisaged as the first in a series of ASTROD missions. ASTROD I will consist of one spacecraft carrying a telescope, four lasers, two event timers and a clock. Two-way, two-wavelength laser pulse ranging will be used between the spacecraft in a solar orbit and deep space laser stations on Earth, to achieve the ASTROD I goals. A second mission, ASTROD (ASTROD II) is envisaged as a three-spacecraft mission which would test General Relativity to 1 ppb, enable detection of solar g-modes, measure the solar Lense-Thirring effect to 10 ppm, and probe gravitational waves at frequencies below the LISA bandwidth. In the third phase (ASTROD III or Super-ASTROD), larger orbits could be implemented to map the outer solar system and to probe primordial gravitational-waves at frequencies below the ASTROD II bandwidth.
Organisation(s): Institute of Quantum Optics
External Organisation(s): Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS)
California Institute of Caltech (Caltech)
University of Birmingham
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
University of Bremen
Office national d'études et de recherches aérospatiales (ONERA)
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Technische Universität Dresden
University of Missouri
Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC)
Nanjing University
CAS - Purple Mountain Observatory
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin)
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (OCA)
Imperial College London
Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)
University of Western Australia
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Universite Paris-Sud XI
DFH Satellite Co. Ltd.
Type: Article
Journal: Experimental astronomy
Volume: 23
Pages: 491-527
No. of pages: 37
ISSN: 0922-6435
Publication date: 03.2009
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space and Planetary Science
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-008-9131-8 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{b93dddefb2264051943abdda4d87ae29,
title = "Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity Using Optical Devices I (ASTROD I): A class-M fundamental physics mission proposal for Cosmic Vision 2015-2025",
abstract = "ASTROD I is a planned interplanetary space mission with multiple goals. The primary aims are: to test general relativity with an improvement in sensitivity of over three orders of magnitude, improving our understanding of gravity and aiding the development of a new quantum gravity theory; to measure key solar system parameters with increased accuracy, advancing solar physics and our knowledge of the solar system; and to measure the time rate of change of the gravitational constant with an order of magnitude improvement and the anomalous Pioneer acceleration, thereby probing dark matter and dark energy gravitationally. It is an international project, with major contributions from Europe and China and is envisaged as the first in a series of ASTROD missions. ASTROD I will consist of one spacecraft carrying a telescope, four lasers, two event timers and a clock. Two-way, two-wavelength laser pulse ranging will be used between the spacecraft in a solar orbit and deep space laser stations on Earth, to achieve the ASTROD I goals. A second mission, ASTROD (ASTROD II) is envisaged as a three-spacecraft mission which would test General Relativity to 1 ppb, enable detection of solar g-modes, measure the solar Lense-Thirring effect to 10 ppm, and probe gravitational waves at frequencies below the LISA bandwidth. In the third phase (ASTROD III or Super-ASTROD), larger orbits could be implemented to map the outer solar system and to probe primordial gravitational-waves at frequencies below the ASTROD II bandwidth.",
keywords = "ASTROD, ASTROD I, Exploring the microscopic origin of gravity, Gravitational-wave detection, Mapping solar-system gravity, Probing the fundamental laws of spacetime, Solar g-mode detection, Testing relativistic gravity",
author = "Thierry Appourchaux and Raymond Burston and Yanbei Chen and Michael Cruise and Hansj{\"o}rg Dittus and Bernard Foulon and Patrick Gill and Laurent Gizon and Hugh Klein and Sergei Klioner and Sergei Kopeikin and Hans Kr{\"u}ger and Claus L{\"a}mmerzahl and Alberto Lobo and Xinlian Luo and Helen Margolis and Ni, {Wei Tou} and Pat{\'o}n, {Antonio Pulido} and Qiuhe Peng and Achim Peters and Ernst Rasel and Albrecht R{\"u}diger and {\'E}tienne Samain and Hanns Selig and Diana Shaul and Timothy Sumner and Stephan Theil and Pierre Touboul and Slava Turyshev and Haitao Wang and Li Wang and Linqing Wen and Andreas Wicht and Ji Wu and Xiaomin Zhang and Cheng Zhao",
year = "2009",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1007/s10686-008-9131-8",
language = "English",
volume = "23",
pages = "491--527",
journal = "Experimental astronomy",
issn = "0922-6435",
publisher = "Springer Netherlands",
number = "2",
}