STEP (satellite test of the equivalence principle)

Sumner, T. J.; Anderson, J.; Blaser, J. P.; Cruise, A. M.; Damour, Thibault; Dittus, Hansjörg; Everitt, C. W. F.; Foulon, Bernard; Jafry, Y.; Kent, B. J.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Loeffler, Felix F.; Mann, G.; Mester, John; Pegrum, C.M.; Reinhardt, Robert M.; Sandford, M. C. W.; Scheicher, A.; Speake, C. C.; Torii, R.; Theil, Stephan; Touboul, Pierre; Vitale, S.; Vodel, W.; Worden, P.

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2006.09.019

Cited by 80 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…An orbital free-fall experiment of this type has already been studied in excruciating detail within ESA/NASA by the STEP project [55]. This proposal, although distinct from STEP, retains all the key features relevant to the noise and performance budget.…”

Section: Macroscopic Equivalence Principle Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

GAUGE: the GrAnd Unification and Gravity Explorer

Amelino‐Camelia¹,

Aplin²,

Arndt³

et al. 2008

Exp Astron

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The GAUGE (GrAnd Unification and Gravity Explorer) mission proposes to use a drag-free spacecraft platform onto which a number of experiments are attached. They are designed to address a number of key issues at the interface between gravity and unification with the other forces of nature. The equivalence principle is to be probed with both a high-precision test using classical macroscopic test bodies, and, to lower precision, using microscopic test bodies via cold-atom interferometry. These two equivalence principle tests will explore string-dilaton theories and the effect of spacetime fluctuations respectively. The macroscopic test bodies will also be used for intermediate-range inverse-square law and an axion-like spin-coupling search. The microscopic test bodies offer the prospect of extending the range of tests to also include short-range inverse-square law and spin-coupling measurements as well as looking for evidence of quantum decoherence due to space-time fluctuations at the Planck scale.

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Section: Macroscopic Equivalence Principle Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

GAUGE: the GrAnd Unification and Gravity Explorer

Amelino‐Camelia¹,

Aplin²,

Arndt³

et al. 2008

Exp Astron

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“…Of course experimentally one may only set upper limits to the equality between the two masses and the actual limits have been progressively improved while adopting more and more refined and accurate techniques. To day measurements done on earth by means of torsion balances tell us that the inertial and the gravitational mass do coincide up to a few parts in 10 14 . Tighter constraints can be pursued by a number of experiments in space that have been proposed, like STEP (Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle) [14], and GG (Galileo Galilei) [13]), aiming respectively to an accuracy of 10 −18 and 10 −17 .…”

Section: The Equivalence Principlementioning

confidence: 99%

“…To day measurements done on earth by means of torsion balances tell us that the inertial and the gravitational mass do coincide up to a few parts in 10 14 . Tighter constraints can be pursued by a number of experiments in space that have been proposed, like STEP (Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle) [14], and GG (Galileo Galilei) [13]), aiming respectively to an accuracy of 10 −18 and 10 −17 . Under development is MICROSCOPE (MICROSatellite à trainée Compensée pour l'Observation du Principe d'Equivalence) [15], whose objective is also an accuracy of 10 −18 ; the mission could fly in 2015-16.…”

Section: The Equivalence Principlementioning

confidence: 99%

Testing general relativity

Tartaglia¹

2015

Proceedings of Gran Sasso Summer Institute 2014 Hands-on Experimental Underground Physics at LNGS — PoS(GSSI14)

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This lecture will present a review of the past and present tests of the General Relativity theory. The essentials of the theory will be recalled and the measurable effects will be listed and analyzed. The main historical confirmations of General Relativity will be described. Then, the present situation will be reviewed presenting a number of examples. The opportunities given by astrophysical and astrometric observations will be shortly discussed. Coming to terrestrial experiments the attention will be specially focused on ringlasers and a dedicated experiment for the Gran Sasso Laboratories, named by the acronym GINGER, will be presented. Mention will also be made of alternatives to the use of light, such as particle beams and superfluid rings.

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“…This idea was proposed in 2004 when engineers were working on the Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP) mission. The satellite was to be sent into the earth orbit to probe the underlying foundation of Einstein's theory, the (local) equivalence of gravitational and inertial mass [157]. The test masses and detectors were required to sustain stability from disturbances such as air drag, magnetic field, and solar pressure in order to obtain precise results [158].…”

Section: Cryogenic Fluid Containmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible and Transparent Silica Aerogels: An Overview

Parale¹,

Lee²,

Park³

2017

J. Korean Ceram. Soc

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Aerogels are highly porous structures prepared via a sol-gel process and supercritical drying technology. Among the classes of aerogels, silica aerogel exhibits the most remarkable physical properties, possessing lower density, thermal conductivity, refractive index, and dielectric constant than any solids. Its acoustical property is such that it can absorb the sound waves reducing speed to 100 m/s compared to 332 m/s for air. However, when it comes to commercialization, the result is not as expected. It seems that mass production, particularly in the aerospace industry, has dawdled behind. This paper highlights the evolution of aerogels in general and discusses the functions and significances of silica aerogel in previous astronautical applications. Future outer-space applications have been proposed as per the current research trend. Finally, the implementation of conventional silica aerogel in aeronautics is argued with an alternative known as Maerogel.

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STEP (satellite test of the equivalence principle)

Cited by 80 publications

References 5 publications

GAUGE: the GrAnd Unification and Gravity Explorer

GAUGE: the GrAnd Unification and Gravity Explorer

Testing general relativity

Flexible and Transparent Silica Aerogels: An Overview

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