Abstract

Laser metrology has been identified as a key technology of many 21st century space science missions. In particular, this applies to the space-borne gravitational wave detector LISA and the large baseline stellar interferometers. Common features of these interferometers are that under current design they consist of multiple individual spacecraft, formation flying at large separations, and that the relative optical pathlengths over these distances need to be known or even controlled to the nanometer level. Therefore a stabilised laser system and a metrology gauge are required to monitor the optical pathlengths.

© 1998 IEEE