NASA mission confirms elements of general relativity
Posted: Thu, May 5, 2011, 7:30 AM ET (1130 GMT)
A NASA mission more than half a century in the making has confirmed two key predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity, project officials said Wednesday. Gravity Probe-B (GP-B), launched in 2004 but first proposed in the late 1950s, was able to detect the warping of spacetime caused by a gravitational body, as well as frame dragging, the effect on space time by a spinning object. The spacecraft measured these effects with four ultra-precise gyroscopes as the spacecraft orbited the Earth, aimed at one particular star. The conclusions are not particularly surprising, since other experiments and spacecraft have also collected evidence in support of general relativity, but project scientists said the GP-B data is the most direct confirmation of general relativity to date, although not to the same degree of precision as originally expected.
A NASA mission more than half a century in the making has confirmed two key predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity, project officials said Wednesday. Gravity Probe-B (GP-B), launched in 2004 but first proposed in the late 1950s, was able to detect the warping of spacetime caused by a gravitational body, as well as frame dragging, the effect on space time by a spinning object. The spacecraft measured these effects with four ultra-precise gyroscopes as the spacecraft orbited the Earth, aimed at one particular star. The conclusions are not particularly surprising, since other experiments and spacecraft have also collected evidence in support of general relativity, but project scientists said the GP-B data is the most direct confirmation of general relativity to date, although not to the same degree of precision as originally expected.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Blue Origin describes plans for increased New Glenn launch rates
Posted: Sat, Oct 17 11:41 AM ET (1541 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, October 21
Space Rider Test Model Lost Following Failed Drop Test
European Spaceflight — 6:17 am ET (1017 GMT) Water As We’ve Never Known It: Physicists Test Water Beyond Earth-like Conditions
UNLV — 6:17 am ET (1017 GMT) KAIST develops gravity-independent wearable eyedrop patch for use in space
Eurekalert — 6:16 am ET (1016 GMT) China's CERES-1 rocket launches new satellite from sea
Xinhua — 6:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Launch Preview: H3, Falcon 9, Electron, and others to launch during busy week
NasaSpaceFlight.com — 6:13 am ET (1013 GMT) |
