Laser system development for the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission

A highly stable and long-lifetime laser system is a key component of the space-based Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, which is designed to detect gravitational waves from various astronomical sources. We are developing such laser system at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Our baseline architecture for the LISA laser consists of a low-power, low-noise small Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator (micro NPRO) followed by a diodepumped Yb-fiber amplifier with ~2 W output. In this paper, we will describe our progress to date and plans to demonstrate a technology readiness level (TRL) 6 LISA laser system.

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