The LISA optical bench: an overview and engineering challenges

William Brzozowski; David Robertson; Ewan Fitzsimons; Henry Ward; Jennifer Keogh; Alasdair Taylor; Maria Milanova; Michael Perreur-Lloyd; Zeshan Ali; Andrew Earle; Daniel Clarkson; Robyn Sharman; Martyn Wells; Phil Parr-Burman

doi:10.1117/12.2627465

27 August 2022 The LISA optical bench: an overview and engineering challenges

William Brzozowski, David Robertson, Ewan Fitzsimons, Henry Ward, Jennifer Keogh, Alasdair Taylor, Maria Milanova, Michael Perreur-Lloyd, Zeshan Ali, Andrew Earle, Daniel Clarkson, Robyn Sharman, Martyn Wells, Phil Parr-Burman

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12180, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 121800O (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2627465
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

This paper will present an overview of the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) optical bench and discuss the innovative methods developed to analyse and mitigate significant engineering challenges. There are two optical benches for each of the three LISA spacecraft. The optical bench consists of numerous components which form the paths of the interferometers used to measure the displacement changes caused by gravitational waves. Given each spacecraft is separated by 2.5 million Km, a laser beam sent from one to another arrives with a significantly lower irradiance than on departure. It is in part because of this that various engineering challenges are faced by the LISA OB. This is alongside the extremely demanding nature of measuring gravitational waves at a sensitivity of pico-meters per root-Hertz.

Conference Presentation

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William Brzozowski, David Robertson, Ewan Fitzsimons, Henry Ward, Jennifer Keogh, Alasdair Taylor, Maria Milanova, Michael Perreur-Lloyd, Zeshan Ali, Andrew Earle, Daniel Clarkson, Robyn Sharman, Martyn Wells, and Phil Parr-Burman "The LISA optical bench: an overview and engineering challenges", Proc. SPIE 12180, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2022: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 121800O (27 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2627465

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