UF To Play Key Role in Groundbreaking Laser Interferometer Space Antenna Mission

The University of Florida’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering has partnered with NASA to develop hardware that will fly on the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission being led by the European Space Agency (ESA).

UF is the only academic institution in the United States to be awarded a contract to develop hardware to fly on the LISA mission, which is set to launch in the mid-2030s.

The mission will see three spacecraft orbit the sun with the goal of advancing the understanding of the universe and explore the origin and evolution of black holes. UF’s Precision Space Systems Laboratory will develop the Charge Management Device for the mission.

John W. Conklin, Ph.D., and principal investigator at UF’s Precision Space Systems Laboratory, says this project will mark a huge leap for astrophysics at the University of Florida and beyond.

“”The adoption of LISA marks a huge leap for astrophysics,” said Conklin. “Our Charge Management Device work showcases the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s important contributions to NASA’s mission.”

The UF Department of Physics will also assist with the mission, helping to develop LISA’s telescopes that will beam the laser between the spacecraft.

The University of Florida’s involvement with the LISA mission will provide insight and revolutionize researchers’ understanding of the universe and the role of electromagnetic waves.

Read more: UF to play key role in groundbreaking Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission.