New Technologies 2015: Follow live off the satellite that will test general relativity

Friday, April 22, 2016

Follow live off the satellite that will test general relativity – Numerama

The National Center for Space Studies scrambled today in Guyana satellite Microscope, which aims to test the equivalence principle on which the theory of general relativity Albert Einstein .

update – CNES reports that the flight is delayed 24 hours because of bad weather

this Friday evening the National space studies Centre (CNES) will put into orbit the french Microscope satellite, whose mission is to verify whether the principle of equivalence, on which the theory of general relativity formulated by Albert Einstein, still applies to an extremely small scale (of the order of 10 ^-15). Liftoff will take place at 23:02, Paris time.

The equivalence principle states that all bodies fall in a vacuum at the same speed, regardless of their mass or composition. It has already been verified at a particularly high degree of accuracy (10 ^-13). If this principle of equivalence is at fault, it will be a revolution in physics.

satellite artist's impression Microscope. CNES — satellite artist view
CNES Microscope

This principle is “ tested as new theories. – seeking to reconcile gravity with other fundamental interactions (electromagnetic and nuclear) – predict it could be breached at a very low level “highlights CNES. Hence the need for scientists to even further delay the measures of accuracy.

The firing of the rocket Soyuz-Fregat STA-M, which willl orbit satellite, will be held at 23:02 (6:02 p.m. local time). The sequence can be followed live on the CNES site, which will start a special program from 22:15.