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NASA NTRS1996

Getting Astrophysical Information from LISA Data

The gravitational wave signals from a large number of astrophysical sources will be present in the LISA data. Information about as many sources as possible must be estimated from time series of strain measurements...Here we describe a candidate process for disentangling the gravitational wave signals and estimating the relevant astrophysical parameters from one year of LISA data. Nearly all of the sources will be identified by searching with templates based on source parameters and directions.

LISA↗
NASA NTRS2002

LISA : Pointing sensor development stand

We are developing a pointing sensor as part of the technology development effort for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. The sensor will measure the angle between two beams, by measuring the phase difference in the heterodyne frequency on different sides of the pupil plane. In LISA, one beam would be from the local laser, while the other beam comes from a different spacecraft. The beam coming from the other space craft will have a Doppler shift due to changes in the orbits of the satellites. The phase difference across the aperture will be measured to align the incoming and outgoing beams.

LISA↗
NASA NTRS2022

Development of LISA Laser System at NASA

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) laser transmitter for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. The laser transmitter is one of the potential contributions to the LISA mission from NASA. Our development effort has included a master oscillator (MO), a power amplifier (PA), a frequency reference system (FRS), a power monitor detector (PMON), and laser electronics module (LEM). We are working on their design, performance evaluation, environmental testing, and reliability testing for space flight. We have built TRL 4 laser optical modules based on the MO and PA, which meets most performance requirements. One of the TRL 4 laser optical modules has been delivered to ESA for independent evaluation. TRL 6 versions of MO and PA are being built and evaluated at GSFC. TRL 5 and 6 versions of laser electronics are under development. In this paper, we will describe our progress to date and plans to demonstrate and deliver a TRL 6 laser demonstrator system to ESA by 2024.

LISA, Space Lasers↗
DOE OSTI2026

Connecting Current and Future Dual Active Galactic Nucleus Searches to LISA and Pulsar Timing Array Gravitational-wave Detections

Abstract Dual active galactic nuclei (DAGN) mark the observable stage of massive black hole (MBH) pairing during galaxy mergers and are the progenitors of the MBH binaries that generate low-frequency gravitational waves. Using the large-volume ASTRID cosmological simulation, we construct mock DAGN catalogs tailored to the selection functions of current (COSMOS-Web and DESI) and forthcoming (Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman) and Lynx X-ray Observatory (Lynx)) surveys, enabling direct comparisons between simulations and observations. With realistic observational selections, ASTRID reproduces the observed dual fractions, projected separations, and host-galaxy properties across redshifts. We predict a substantial population of small-separation (<5 kpc) duals that remain inaccessible to current surveys, demonstrating that the apparent paucity of subkiloparsec systems in COSMOS-Web is primarily a consequence of observational selection rather than an intrinsic absence. Following each simulated dual to coalescence, we show that DAGN are effective tracers of MBH mergers: ∼30%–70% merge within ≲1 Gyr, and 20%–60% of these mergers produce gravitational-wave signals detectable by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Duals observable with Roman and Lynx are the progenitors of ∼10%–50% of low-redshift LISA sources and contribute ∼30% of the PTA-band stochastic gravitational-wave background. We further identify massive green-valley galaxies hosting moderate-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGN), together with massive star-forming galaxies containing bright quasars at z > 1, as the environments most likely to host imminent MBH binaries. These results establish a unified cosmological framework connecting DAGN demographics, MBH binary evolution, and gravitational-wave sources, while identifying high-priority targets for coordinated electromagnetic and multimessenger observations in the coming decade.

Chen, Nianyi [Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik;↗
NASA NTRS2002

Development of A Thrust Stand to Meet LISA Mission Requirements

A thrust stand has been built and tested that is capable of measuring the force-noise produced by electrostatic micro-Newton (micro-Newton) thrusters. The LISA mission's Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) requires thrusters that are capable of producing continuous thrust levels between 1-100 micro-Newton with a resolution of 0.1 micro-Newton. The stationary force-noise produced by these thrusters must not exceed 0.1 pN/4Hz in a 10 Hz bandwidth. The LISA Thrust Stand (LTS) is a torsion-balance type thrust stand designed to meet the following requirements: stationary force-noise measurements from 10(exp-4) to 1 Hz with 0.1 micro-Newton resolution, absolute thrust measurements from 1-100 micro-Newton with better than 0.1 micro-Newton resolution, and dynamic thruster response from 10(exp -4) to 10 Hz. The ITS employs a unique vertical configuration, autocollimator for angular position measurements, and electrostatic actuators that are used for dynamic pendulum control and null-mode measurements. Force-noise levels are measured indirectly by characterizing the thrust stand as a spring-mass system. The LTS was initially designed to test the indium FEEP thruster developed by the Austrian Research Center in Seibersdorf (ARCS), but can be modified for testing other thrusters of this type.

Willis, William D., III↗
NASA NTRS2002

Development of a Thrust Stand to Meet LISA Mission Requirements

A thrust stand has been built to measure the force-noise produced by electrostatic micro-Newton (muN) thrusters. The LISA mission's Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) requires thrusters that are capable of producing continuous thrust levels between 1-100 muN with a resolution of 0.1 muN. The stationary force-noise produced by these thrusters must not exceed 0.1 muN/dHz in the measurement bandwidth 10(exp -4) to 1 Hz. The LISA Thrust Stand (LTS) is a torsion-balance type thrust stand designed to meet the following requirements: stationary force-noise measurements from l0( -4) to 1 Hz with 0.1 muN/dHz sensitivity, absolute thrust measurements from 1-100 muN with better than 0.1 muN resolution, and dynamic thruster response from to 10 Hz. The LTS employs a unique vertical configuration, autocollimator for angular position measurements, and electrostatic actuators that are used for dynamic pendulum control and null-mode measurements. Force-noise levels are measured indirectly by characterizing the thrust stand as a spring-mass system. The LTS was initially designed to test the indium FEEP thruster developed by the Austrian Research Center in Seibersdorf (ARCS), but can be modified for testing other thrusters of this type.

Willis, William D., III↗
NASA NTRS2002

The LISA Integrated Model

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) space mission has unique needs that argue for an aggressive modeling effort. These models ultimately need to forecast and interrelate the behavior of the science input, structure, optics, control systems, and many other factors that affect the performance of the flight hardware. In addition, many components of these integrated models will also be used separately for the evaluation and investigation of design choices, technology development and integration and test. This article presents an overview of the LISA integrated modeling effort.

Merkowitz, Stephen M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Weak-light Phase-locking for LISA

The long armlengths of the LISA interferometer, and the finite aperture of the telescope, leads to an optical power attenuation of approximately equal to 10(exp -10) of the transmitted to received light. Simple reflection at the end of the arm is therefore not an optimum interferometric design. Instead, a local laser is offset phase-locked to the weak incoming beam, transferring the phase information of the incoming to the outgoing light. This paper reports on an experiment to characterize a weak light phase-locking scheme suitable for LISA in which a diode-pumped, Nd:YAG, non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) is offset phase-locked to a low power (13pW) frequency stabilised master NPRO. Preliminary results of the relative phase noise of the slave laser shows shot noise limited performance above 0.4 Hz. Excess noise is observed at lower frequencies, most probably due to thermal effects in the optical arrangement and phase sensing electronics.

McNamara, Paul W.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Observing the Final Moments of Massive Black Hole Mergers with LISA.

Mergers of binary black hole systems are one of the strongest sources of gravitational radiation expected to be observed by LISA. Recent advances in modeling the final merger and ringdown of comparable-mass systems, particularly via numerical relativity simulations, are dramatically expanding our understanding of these systems and the radiation they generate. We summarize recent modeling results, highlighting the work of Goddard s numerical relativity group, and apply this emerging knowledge to the problem of observing the final moments of binary black hole mergers with LISA.

Baker, John↗
NASA NTRS2003

LISA technology department at JPL

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) project requires technology developments on many fronts. A physical understanding of the LISA subsystems is a precursor to tacjling the requirements needed to ensure a successful mission. This can only be achieved by developing the concepts in the lab prior to developing the payload. This poster presents updates on laboratory activities intended to prove the feasibility of measuring proof mass back reaction forces of less than 3fN/(square root)Hz at 1 mHz; the sensing of the proof mass position with in 2 nm/(square root)above the 3 mHz; and the resolution and accuracy of the phase-meter to better than 10 pm/(square root)Hz above the 3 mHz.

optical displacement sensor↗
NASA NTRS2008

LISA and NASA's Physics of the Cosmos Theme

In the past year, the LISA Project at NASA has completed a major review and has thoroughly reviewed its cost estimates. This talk will summarize the conclusions of the Beyond Einstein Program Assessment, and review the main conclusions of the cost estimation work done at NASA, including reduced mission concepts. Astro2010, the decadal review which sets priorities for astronomy and astrophysics projects in the U.S., is getting organized. Preparing for and participating in Astro2010 will be a crucial activity for the NASA side of the LISA Project in thc next 18 months.

Stebbins, Robin T.↗
NASA NTRS2008

The Mock LISA Data Challenge Round 3: New and Improved Sources

The Mock LISA Data Challenges are a program to demonstrate and encourage the development of data-analysis capabilities for LISA. Each round of challenges consists of several data sets containing simulated instrument noise and gravitational waves from sources of undisclosed parameters. Participants are asked to analyze the data sets and report the maximum information they can infer about the source parameters. The challenges are being released in rounds of increasing complexity and realism. Challenge 3. currently in progress, brings new source classes, now including cosmic-string cusps and primordial stochastic backgrounds, and more realistic signal models for supermassive black-hole inspirals and galactic double white dwarf binaries.

Baker, John↗
NASA NTRS2009

Observing Merging Massive Black Hole Binaries with LISA

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to detect gravitational radiation from the inspiral and merger of massive black hole binaries at high redshifts with large signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). These high-SNR observations will make it possible to extract physical parameters such as hole masses and spins, luminosity distance, and sky position from the observed waveforms. LISA'S effectiveness as a tool for astrophysics will be influenced by the precision with which these parameters can be measured. In addition, the practicality of coordinated observations with other instruments will be affected by the temporal evolution of parameter errors such as sky position. We present estimates of parameter errors for the special case of non-spinning black holes. Our focus is on the contribution of the late inspiral and merger portions of the waveform, a regime which typically dominates the SNR but has not been extensively studied due to the historic lack of a precise description of the waveform. Advances in numerical relativity have recently made such studies possible. Initial results suggest that the portion of the waveform beyond the Schwarzchild inner-most stable circular orbit can reduce parameter uncertainties by up to a factor of two.

Thorpe, J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

LISA Long-Arm Interferometry

An overview of LISA Long-Arm Interferometry is presented. The contents include: 1) LISA Interferometry; 2) Constellation Design; 3) Telescope Design; 4) Constellation Acquisition; 5) Mechanisms; 6) Optical Bench Design; 7) Phase Measurement Subsystem; 8) Phasemeter Demonstration; 9) Time Delay Interferometry; 10) TDI Limitations; 11) Active Frequency Stabilization; 12) Spacecraft Level Stabilization; 13) Arm-Locking; and 14) Embarassment of Riches.

Thorpe, James I.↗
NASA NTRS2009

LISA: Detecting Gravitational Waves from Space

The laser interferometer space antenna (LISA), a joint NASA/ESA mission, will be the first dedicated gravitational wave detector in space. This presentation will provide a tutorial of the LISA measurement concept.

Livas, Jeff↗
NASA NTRS2009

The Status of the Mock LISA Data Challenges

For the last four years, many gravitational-wave researchers around the world have participated in the Mock LISA Data Challenges (MLDCs), a program to demonstrate and encourage the development of LISA data-analysis capabilities, tools and techniques. In this poster, we present a summary of the results of MLDC 3, which was completed in 2009. During MLDC 3, 27 participants from 15 institutions successfully analyzed data sets that included Galactic binaries, coalescing spinning massive black holes, extreme-mass-ratio inspirals, cosmic-string cusp bursts and a stochastic gravitational-wave background. We also describe the technical and scientific challenges that will be addressed by future MLI)Cs, starting with MLDC 4, which is currently in progress.

Baker, John↗
NASA NTRS2009

Precision Measurement of Complete Black Hole Binary Inspiral-Merger-Ringdown Signals with LISA

Until recently, only the inspiral and ringdown phases of black hole binary (131-113) coalescences had been modeled. The merger signals, which were expected to be the most luminous portion of the total signal, were unavailable due to the technical difficulty of calculating the behavior of a BHB in this highly dynamical and non-linear regime. Advancements in the field of numerical relativity make it possible to include the merger segment of 131113 coalescence in the search for and characterization of gravitational wave signals. The implications for LISA include an increase in the event rate due to the increase in achievable signal-to-noise ratio, as well as potentially improved accuracy regarding the extraction of the source parameters. We investigate the degree to which mergers improve parameter estimation, by studying the impact of including mergers on achievable parameter accuracy over a significant range of masses and mass ratios for nonspinning systems, and its impact on LISA science.

McWilliams, Sean T.↗
NASA NTRS2010

LISA Pathfinder Instrument Data Analysis

LISA Pathfinder (LPF) is an ESA-launched demonstration mission of key technologies required for the joint NASA-ESA gravitational wave observatory in space, LISA. As part of the LPF interferometry investigations, analytic models of noise sources and corresponding noise subtraction techniques have been developed to correct for effects like the coupling of test mass jitter into displacement readout, and fluctuations of the laser frequency or optical pathlength difference. Ground testing of pre-flight hardware of the Optical Metrology subsystem is currently ongoing at the Albert Einstein Institute Hannover. In collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the LPF mission data analysis tool LTPDA is being used to analyze the data product of these tests. Furthermore, the noise subtraction techniques and in-flight experiment runs for noise characterization are being defined as part of the mission experiment master plan. We will present the data analysis outcome of preflight hardware ground tests and possible noise subtraction strategies for in-flight instrument operations.

Guzman, Felipe↗