Latest from Kourou: LISA Pathfinder

Date: Mon, Nov 30, 2015 | 15:30 - 16:00 GMT | 16:30 - 17:00 CET

Type: ESA TV News

Format: 16:9

ESA is launching a technology demonstration mission opening a new field of observation, the gravitational universe.  

Lift of is scheduled from Kourou next 2 December at 4h15 GMT (1h15 Kourou) on top of Europe’s small launcher, Vega.

LISA Pathfinder mission will be testing the technologies needed to detect and measure gravitational waves – ripples in spacetime first predicted by Albert Einstein almost one hundred years ago.

It will be the 6th Vega launch and the last of five flights intended to demonstrate Vega’s capability and flexibility to deliver a wide range of missions, as part of ESA’s Verta – Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment – programme.

This feed will show the latest images of the preparation of LISA Pathfinder and Vega Launcher at the Centre Spatial Guyanais.

It contains interviews with:

- Cesar Marirrodriga, LISA Pathfinder Project Manager, ESA in English and Spanish about LISA Pathfinder preparation  and mission

- Paul McNamara, LISA Pathfinder Project Scientist, ESA in English about LISA Pathfinder mission,  who also explains what Gravitational waves are in a specific clip.

- Renato Lafranconi, VEGA Exploitation Programme Manager, ESA in English, Italian & French about VERTA Programme

There will also be a test transmission from CSG 1300-1330GMT.

More information at: http://sci.esa.int/lisa-pathfinder/

Satellite Parameters:

EUTELSAT 7B @ 7 deg East TXP B1 SLOT 1G 6MHz
DOWNLINK Fr: 10994.5 MHZ POL X/horizontal
Signal: HD 1080i 50Hz MPEG4/H.264 4:2:0 Clear
Mod: DVB-S2/8PSK SR:4.9373 Ms/s FEC 3/4
Pilot:on Roll-off 0.20 DR: 10.7514 Mbps
AUDIO 1: English
AUDIO 2: French

For any inquiries regarding satellite or ftp reception please contact the ESA TV production team:
Dominique Detain at dominique.detain@esa.int  / tel + 33 685 114 681
Chris Courtenay Taylor at chrisct@worldwidepictures.tv / tel + 44 7774 275 951