ESA Science & Technology - LISA
Fact Sheet
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory. Selected to be ESA's third large-class mission, it will address the science theme of the Gravitational Universe. LISA will consist of three spacecraft separated by 2.5 million km in a triangular formation, following Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Launch is expected in 2037.
News
News
LISA Pathfinder lead scientist awarded prestigious prize
6 March 2020
Professor Stefano Vitale, principal investigator of ESA's LISA Pathfinder and currently the chair of ESA's Science Programme Committee, has been honoured with the 2020 Tycho Brahe Medal for leading the ambitious mission that demonstrated technology to detect gravitational waves from space.
A unique experiment to explore black holes
23 May 2019
What happens when two supermassive black holes collide? Combining the observing power of two future ESA missions, Athena and LISA, would allow us to study these cosmic clashes and their mysterious aftermath for the first time.
Gravitational wave mission selected, planet-hunting mission moves forward
20 June 2017The LISA trio of satellites to detect gravitational waves from space has been selected as the third large-class mission in ESA's Science programme, while the PLATO exoplanet hunter moves into development.
Next step towards a gravitational-wave observatory in space
25 October 2016Today, ESA has invited European scientists to propose concepts for the third large mission in its science programme, to study the gravitational Universe.
Spotlight On ...
Spotlight On ...
LISA Pathfinder
19 June 2017Learn more about LISA Pathfinder: a mission that is paving the way for future missions by testing in flight the very concept of gravitational wave detection.
LISA Consortium website
19 June 2017Meet the LISA Consortium and learn about their preparations for the LISA mission.
Latest Publications
Latest Publications
LISA Phase 0 CDF study - internal final presentation
5 May 2017The internal Phase 0 study of the Laser interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission has been performed at ESA's Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) and ran from 8 March to 5 May 2017. The internal final presentation, summarizing the outcome of the Phase 0 study, is now available for download.
Spatium 39: Gravitational waves: the sound of the Dark Universe
1 May 2017This issue of Spatium is devoted to gravitational waves, their sources and the marvellous technologies required for observing them. It features an article by Professor Karsten Danzmann of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitation Physics and the Institute for Gravitation Physics of the Leibniz Universität, Hannover.
The ESA L3 Gravitational Wave Mission - Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team Final Report
4 May 2016This is the final report from the Gravitational Observatory Advisory Team (GOAT). Following the selection of the science theme "The Gravitational Universe" for the L3 mission, the GOAT was established to advise on the scientific and technological approaches for a gravitational wave observatory with a planned launch date in 2034.
Report of the Senior Survey Committee on the selection on science themes for the L2 and L3 missions
28 November 2013A Senior Survey Committee was appointed by the Director of Science and Robotic Exploration to advise him on the definition of the science themes and questions to be addressed by the L2 and L3 missions, the next large missions in the Cosmic Vision programme. This report represents the synthesis of the committee's work and outlines their...