Laser Interferometry Space Antenna 1748988 220823086 2008-06-21T19:35:00Z CosineKitty 1750493 [[:en:User:NicoV/Wikipedia Cleaner/Documentation|WikiCleaner]] 0.76 - Repairing link to disambiguation page - [[Wikipedia:Disambiguation pages with links|You can help!]] {{Orphan|date=November 2006}} The '''[[Laser]] [[Interferometry|Interferometer]] Space Antenna''' (LISA) is a mission that will detect and study [[gravitational wave]]s coming from sources involving massive [[black hole]]s and [[Binary star|galactic binaries]]. As the first dedicated space-based gravitational wave [[observatory]], LISA will detect waves generated by binaries within our Galaxy, the [[Milky Way]], and by massive black holes in distant [[Galaxy|galaxies]]. Although gravitational wave searches in space have previously been made, they were conducted for short periods by planetary missions that had other primary science objectives. Some current missions are using [[Doppler radar|microwave Doppler tracking]] to search for gravitational waves. However, LISA will use an advanced system of laser interferometry for detecting and measuring them. And, LISA will directly detect the existence of gravitational waves, rather than inferring it from the motion of celestial bodies, as has been done previously. Additionally, LISA will make its observations in a [[Frequency|low-frequency]] [[Bandwidth (signal processing)|band]] that ground-based detectors can't achieve. This difference in frequency bands makes LISA and ground detectors complementary rather than competitive. This range of frequencies is similar to the various types of wavelengths applied in [[astronomy]], such as [[ultraviolet]] and [[infrared]]. Each provides different information. ==External links== *[http://lisa.jpl.nasa.gov/ LISA Homepage] [[Category:Astronomical imaging]] [[Category:NASA programs]] [[Category:Radio telescopes]]