SAGE: using CubeSats for gravitational wave detection

S. Lacour; M. Nowak; P. Bourget; F. Vincent; A. Kellerer; V. Lapeyrère; L. David; A. Le Tiec; O. Straub; J. Woillez

doi:10.1117/12.2313639

6 July 2018 SAGE: using CubeSats for gravitational wave detection

S. Lacour, M. Nowak, P. Bourget, F. Vincent, A. Kellerer, V. Lapeyrère, L. David, A. Le Tiec, O. Straub, J. Woillez

Proceedings Volume 10699, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 106992R (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2313639
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2018, Austin, Texas, United States

Abstract

SAGE (SagnAc interferometer for Gravitational wavE) is a fast track project for a space observatory based on multiple 12-U CubeSats in geostationary orbit. The objective of this project is to create a Sagnac interferometer with 73 000 km circular arms. The geometry of the interferometer makes it especially sensitive to circularly polarized gravitational waves at frequency close to 1Hz. The nature of the Sagnac measurement makes it almost insensitive to position error, allowing spacecrafts in ballistic trajectory. The light source and recombination units of the interferometer are based on compact fibered technologies, without the need of an optical bench. The main limitation would come from non-gravitational acceleration of the spacecraft. However, conditionally upon our ability to post-process the effect of solar wind, solar pressure and thermal expansion, we would detect gravitational waves with strains down to 10⁻²¹ over a few days of observation.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

S. Lacour, M. Nowak, P. Bourget, F. Vincent, A. Kellerer, V. Lapeyrère, L. David, A. Le Tiec, O. Straub, and J. Woillez "SAGE: using CubeSats for gravitational wave detection", Proc. SPIE 10699, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 106992R (6 July 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2313639

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