Novel methods to measure the gravitational constant in space

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dc.contributor.authorLISA Pathfinder Collaboration
dc.contributor.authorArmano, M.
dc.contributor.authorAudley, H.
dc.contributor.authorBaird, J.
dc.contributor.authorBinetruy, P.
dc.contributor.authorBorn, M.
dc.contributor.authorBortoluzzi, D.
dc.contributor.authorCastelli, Eleonora
dc.contributor.authorCavalleri, A.
dc.contributor.authorCesarini, A.
dc.contributor.authorCruise, A. M.
dc.contributor.authorDanzmann, K.
dc.contributor.authorde Deus Silva, M.
dc.contributor.authorDiepholz, I.
dc.contributor.authorDixon, G.
dc.contributor.authorDolesi, R.
dc.contributor.authorFerraioli, L.
dc.contributor.authorFerroni, V.
dc.contributor.authorFitzsimons, E. D.
dc.contributor.authorFreschi, M.
dc.contributor.authorGesa, L.
dc.contributor.authorGibert, F.
dc.contributor.authorGiardini, D.
dc.contributor.authorGiusteri, R.
dc.contributor.authorGrimani, C.
dc.contributor.authorGrzymisch, J.
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, I.
dc.contributor.authorHartig, M.-S.
dc.contributor.authorHeinzel, G.
dc.contributor.authorHewitson, M.
dc.contributor.authorHollington, D.
dc.contributor.authorHoyland, D.
dc.contributor.authorHueller, M.
dc.contributor.authorInchauspé, H.
dc.contributor.authorJennrich, O.
dc.contributor.authorJetzer, P.
dc.contributor.authorKarnesis, N.
dc.contributor.authorKaune, B.
dc.contributor.authorKorsakova, N.
dc.contributor.authorKillow, C. J.
dc.contributor.authorLobo, J. A.
dc.contributor.authorLiu, L.
dc.contributor.authorLópez-Zaragoza, J. P.
dc.contributor.authorMaarschalkerweerd, R.
dc.contributor.authorMance, D.
dc.contributor.authorMeshksar, N.
dc.contributor.authorMartín, V.
dc.contributor.authorMartin-Polo, L.
dc.contributor.authorMartino, J.
dc.contributor.authorMartin-Porqueras, F.
dc.contributor.authorMcNamara, P. W.
dc.contributor.authorMendes, J.
dc.contributor.authorMendes, L.
dc.contributor.authorNofrarias, M.
dc.contributor.authorPaczkowski, S.
dc.contributor.authorPerreur-Lloyd, M.
dc.contributor.authorPetiteau, A.
dc.contributor.authorPivato, P.
dc.contributor.authorPlagnol, E.
dc.contributor.authorRamos-Castro, J.
dc.contributor.authorReiche, J.
dc.contributor.authorRobertson, D. I.
dc.contributor.authorRivas, F.
dc.contributor.authorRussano, G.
dc.contributor.authorSlutsky, J.
dc.contributor.authorSopuerta, C. F.
dc.contributor.authorSumner, T.
dc.contributor.authorTexier, D.
dc.contributor.authorThorpe, J. I.
dc.contributor.authorTrenkel, C.
dc.contributor.authorVetrugno, D.
dc.contributor.authorVitale, S.
dc.contributor.authorWanner, G.
dc.contributor.authorWard, H.
dc.contributor.authorWass, P. J.
dc.contributor.authorWeber, W. J.
dc.contributor.authorWissel, L.
dc.contributor.authorWittchen, A.
dc.contributor.authorZweifel, P.
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-13T20:14:13Z
dc.date.issued2019-09-20
dc.description.abstractWe present two novel methods, tested by LISA Pathfinder, to measure the gravitational constant 𝐺 for the first time in space. Experiment 1 uses electrostatic suspension forces to measure a change in acceleration of a test mass due to a displaced source mass. Experiment 2 measures a change in relative acceleration between two test masses due to a slowly varying fuel tank mass. Experiment 1 gave a value of 𝐺=6.71±0.42⁢(×10⁻¹¹)  m³ ⁢s⁻² kg⁻¹ and experiment 2 gave 6.15±0.35⁢(×10⁻¹¹)  m³ ⁢s⁻² kg⁻¹, both consistent with each other to 1⁢𝜎 and with the CODATA 2014 recommended value of 6.67408±0.00031⁢(×10⁻¹¹)  m³ ⁢s⁻² kg⁻¹ to 2⁢𝜎. We outline several ideas to improve the results for a future experiment, and we suggest that a measurement in space would isolate many terrestrial issues that could be responsible for the inconsistencies between recent measurements.
dc.description.sponsorshipThis work has been made possible by the LISA LPF mission, which is part of the space-science program of the European Space Agency. The French contribution has been supported by the CNES (Accord Specifique de projet CNES 1316634/CNRS 103747), the CNRS, the Observatoire de Paris and the University Paris-Diderot. E. P. and H. I. would also like to acknowledge the financial support of the UnivEarthS Labex program at Sorbonne Paris Cit´e (ANR-10-LABX-0023 and ANR-11- IDEX-0005-02). The Albert-Einstein-Institut acknowledges the support of the German Space Agency, DLR. The work is supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy based on a resolution of the German Bundestag (FKZ 50OQ0501 and FKZ 50OQ1601). The Italian contribution has been supported by Agenzia Spaziale Italiana and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare. The Spanish contribution has been supported by Contracts No. AYA2010-15709 (MICINN), No. ESP2013- 47637-P, No. ESP2015-67234-P, No. ESP2017-90084-P (MINECO), and No. 2017-SGR-1469 (AGAUR). M. N. acknowledges support from Fundación General CSIC (Programa ComFuturo). F. R. acknowledges support from a Formación de Personal Investigador (MINECO) contract. The Swiss contribution acknowledges the support of the Swiss Space Office (SSO) via the PRODEX Programme of ESA. L. Ferraioli is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation. The UK groups wish to acknowledge support from the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), the University of Glasgow, the University of Birmingham, Imperial College, and the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA). J. I. T. and J. S. acknowledge the support of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
dc.description.urihttps://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.062003
dc.format.extent13 pages
dc.genrejournal articles
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2haky-pvqy
dc.identifier.citationLISA Pathfinder Collaboration, Sumner, T., J. Slutsky, E. Castelli, M. Armano, H. Audley, et al. “Novel Methods to Measure the Gravitational Constant in Space.” Physical Review D 100, no. 6 (2019): 062003. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.062003.
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.062003
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/39716
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAPS
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Center for Space Sciences and Technology (CSST) / Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences & Technology II (CRSST II)
dc.rightsThis work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
dc.rightsPublic Domain
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
dc.titleNovel methods to measure the gravitational constant in space
dc.typeText
dcterms.creatorhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4429-0682

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