Related papers: Gravity Field Mapping Using Laser Coupled Quantum …

Building upon earlier work, we explore the limits of using a configuration of satellites to measure the trace of the gravitational gradient tensor using intersatellite laser ranging and timing observables without relying on high-precision…

In this paper we will show in detail that the performed attempts aimed at the detection of the general relativistic Lense-Thirring effect in the gravitational field of the Earth with the existing LAGEOS satellites are often presented in an…

One of the atom interferometer gravitational wave missions proposed by Dimopoulos et al.1 in 2008 was called AGIS-Sat. 2. It had a suggested gravitational wave sensitivity set by the atom state detection shot noise level that started at 1…

The accuracy reached in the past few years by Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) allows for measuring even tiny features of the Earth's gravitational field predicted by Einstein's General Relativity by means of artificial satellites. The…

We demonstrate a proof-of-principle of direct Earth gravity gradient measurement with an atom interferometer-based gravity gradiomter using a single proof mass of cold 87 rubidium atoms. The atomic gradiometer is implemented in the…

We focus on the fact that light-pulse atom interferometers measure the atoms' acceleration with only three data points per drop. As a result, the measured effect of the gravity gradient is systematically larger than the true one, an error…

Accurate orbit modeling plays a key role in contemporary and future space missions such as GRACE and its successor GRACE-FO, GNSS, and altimetry missions. To fully exploit the technological capabilities and correctly interpret measurements,…

The trajectory of an interplanetary spacecraft can be used to test gravitation in the Solar System. Its determination relies on radio tracking and is limited by the uncertainty on the spacecraft non-gravitational acceleration. The addition…

Traditional land vehicle gravity measurement heavily rely on high-precision satellite navigation positioning information. However, the operational range of satellite navigation is limited, and it cannot maintain the required level of…

We present a new measurement of the Lense-Thirring effect on the orbits of the geodetic satellites LAGEOS, LAGEOS II and LARES. This secular precession is a general relativity effect produced by the gravitomagnetic field of the Earth…

We develop a high-precision model for laser ranging interferometric (LRI) observables of the GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission. For this, we study the propagation of an electromagnetic wave in the gravitational field in the vicinity of an…

Laser altimetry is a powerful tool for addressing the major objectives of planetary physics and geodesy, and have been applied in planetary explorations of the Moon, Mars, Mercury, and the asteroids Eros, and Itokawa. The JUpiter Icy Moons…

The discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe, thought to be driven by a mysterious form of `dark energy' constituting most of the Universe, has further revived the interest in testing Einstein's theory of General Relativity.…

Accurate astrometry is crucial for determining orbits of near-Earth-asteroids (NEAs) and therefore better tracking them. This paper reports on a demonstration of 10 milliarcsecond-level astrometric precision on a dozen NEAs using the Pomona…

The gravimetry measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its follow-on (GRACE-FO) satellite mission provide an essential way to monitor changes in ocean bottom pressure ($p_b$), which is a critical variable…

We summarize a laser-ranged satellite test of frame-dragging, a prediction of General Relativity, and then concentrate on the estimate of thermal thrust, an important perturbation affecting the accuracy of the test. The frame dragging study…

We present in this paper the results of a comprehensive GEANT simulation of the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) being developed for the AGILE space astrophysics mission. The GRID is designed to be sensitive in the 30 MeV - 50 GeV energy…

We investigate the performance of the upcoming ACES (Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space) space mission in terms of its primary scientific objective, the test of the gravitational redshift. Whilst the ultimate performance of that test is…

Recent results of the LARASE research program in terms of models improvements and relativistic measurements are presented. In particular, the results regarding the development of new models for the non-gravitational perturbations that…

The LARES (LAser RElativity Satellite) satellite was successfully launched in February 2012. The LARES space experiment is based on the orbital determinations of the laser ranged satellites LARES, LAGEOS (LAser GEOdynamics Satellite) and…