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LiteBIRD
Telescope Details
Location:
Second Lagrange point, a location in space, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, where spacecraft can hover
Purpose:
LiteBIRD is a compact, lightweight satellite that will measure the “fingertips” of primordial gravitational waves emitted during the cosmic inflation era. The experiment will have three optical telescopes, each covering a portion of the mission's frequency range.
NIST’s role:
Make two telescope cameras and electronics to collect sensor data. LiteBIRD’s cameras will have a total of more than 3,000 sensors.
Significant discoveries:
The satellite is scheduled to launch by a rocket in 2029.
Other interesting facts:
LiteBIRD will look for specific curl or spiral patterns in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), tiny signatures requiring a survey of the entire sky. CMB polarization measurements may provide for the first time a quantum probe of gravity.
Collaborators:
An international collaboration of institutions in Japan, the United States, Canada and Europe, led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Media
