The European satellite Lisa Pathfinder. – ESA / Medialab ATG

N.Bg. with AFP

Predicted by Einstein, gravitational waves have never been so close to be detected by humans. The European satellite Lisa Pathfinder, responsible for opening the way for the detection of these distortions of space-time caused by gravity, joined his first orbit after launch by a rocket Vega Thursday from French Guiana, Arianespace announced.

This is the sixth shooting this European light launcher flew for the first time in February 2012. So far they have always succeeded. “On behalf of Arianespace, I welcome the success of the sixth launch of Vega, now in the service of science and the European Space Agency,” said Stéphane Israel, CEO of Arianespace in a statement. “Congratulations to AIRBUS Defence & amp teams; Space for the realization of this highly innovative technology demonstrator, LISA Pathfinder, which will allow us to open a new window on the Universe, “added Stéphane Israel.

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Travel 1.5 million kilometers from Earth

Vega off Thursday at 1:04 hours in Kourou, 5:04 Paris time, as expected. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, shooting had to be postponed due to a technical problem on the last stage of the rocket. “What a night, what a night!” Rejoiced Gaele Winters, director of technical operations of ESA from the center of Kourou. “Vega has been proven.”

After six pipes orbit raising maneuvers over the next two weeks, Lisa Pathfinder will travel for six weeks to join its operational orbit located about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the direction of the sun.

The matter in motion, courbeuse spacetime

Lisa Pathfinder is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) intended to prepare the way for a future space observatory to detect the famous gravitational waves theorized by Albert Einstein. “Fundamental research is to understand the world in which we live,” said Johann-Dietrich Woerner, CEO of the ESA, in a statement.

“The theoretical discoveries of Albert Einstein are today still quite fascinating. Lisa Pathfinder we will try, through new knowledge, to confirm one of Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, “said Johann-Dietrich Woerner continued

There are a hundred years. The famous physicist has determined that under the effect of gravity, the movement’s bent space-time. It triggers waves that will move in space as do the wrinkles caused to the surface of the water by a falling stone.