Related papers: Lunar laser ranging: the millimeter challenge
The last two decades have brought spectacular advances in astrophysics of cosmic rays (CRs) and space- and ground-based astronomy. Launches of missions that employ forefront detector technologies enabled measurements with large effective…
The Laser Astrometric Test of Relativity (LATOR) experiment is designed to explore general theory of relativity in the close proximity to the Sun -- the most intense gravitational environment in the solar system. Using independent…
Satellite quantum communications have rapidly evolved in the past few years, culminating in the proposal, development, and deployment of satellite missions dedicated to quantum key distribution and the realization of fundamental tests of…
Recent years have seen tremendous progress in our understanding of the cosmos, which in turn points to even deeper questions to be further addressed. Concurrently the laser technology has undergone dramatic revolutions, providing exciting…
We introduce the rapidly emerging field of multi-messenger gravitational lensing - the discovery and science of gravitationally lensed phenomena in the distant universe through the combination of multiple messengers. This is framed by…
The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) presents a novel concept for observing gravitational waves from astrophysical sources at sub-Hertz frequencies. Compared to the Earth, the seismic environment of the moon, while uncertain, is…
We review the results from {\it Mariner 10} regarding Mercury's gravity field and the results from radar ranging regarding topography. We discuss the implications of improving these results, including a determination of the polar component,…
For testing gravity and detecting gravitational waves in space, deep-space laser ranging using drag-free spacecraft is a common method. Deep space provides a large arena and a long integration time. Laser technology provides measurement…
New concepts were recently proposed for gravitational-wave (GW) detectors on the Moon. These include laser-interferometric detectors, proposed as free-range or optical-fiber interferometers, and inertial acceleration sensors. Some of them…
In this paper we examine the possibility of testing the equivalence principle, in its weak form, by analyzing the orbital motion of a pair of artificial satellites of different composition moving along orbits of identical shape and size in…
Mars is the next frontier after Moon for space explorers to demonstrate the extent of human expedition and technology beyond low-earth orbit. Government space agencies as well as private space sectors are extensively endeavouring for a…
The next generation of space-based experiments will go hunting for answers to cosmology's key open questions which revolve around inflation, dark matter and dark energy. Low earth orbit and lunar missions within the European Space Agency's…
If the fundamental constants of nature have a cosmic spatial variation, there will in general be extra forces with a preferred direction in space which violate the equivalence principle. We show that the millimeter-precision Apache Point…
In this talk, results from the gravitational sector of the Standard-Model Extension (SME) are discussed. The weak-field phenomenology of the resulting modified gravitational field equations is explored. The application of the results to a…
In the last decade, neutrino astronomy has taken off with two major breakthroughs, the first observation of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos in 2013 and the first evidence for gamma-rays and neutrinos from a single object published in…
Over the last decade, cosmological observations have attained a level of precision which allows for detailed comparison with theoretical predictions. In this paper, we briefly review some studies of the current and prospected constraints…
Four ongoing microlensing experiments have produced important new results but also big puzzles, the major one being that the expected classes of lenses cannot account for the observed distribution of time scales. I discuss future…
This paper focuses on the mission design for the Laser Astrometric Test Of Relativity (LATOR). This mission uses laser interferometry between two micro-spacecraft whose lines of sight pass close by the Sun to accurately measure deflection…
We summarize the state of the art and future directions in using millisecond radio pulsars to test gravitation and measure intrinsic, fundamental parameters of the pulsar systems. As discussed below, such measurements continue to yield…
There has been tremendous progress in observing oscillations in solar-type stars. In a few short years we have moved from ambiguous detections to firm measurements. We review the recent results, most of which have come from high-precision…