MICROSCOPE satellite mission

E57413

The MICROSCOPE satellite mission was a French-led space experiment designed to test the validity of Einstein’s equivalence principle with unprecedented precision by comparing the free fall of different materials in orbit.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf equivalence principle test
physics experiment
satellite mission
space experiment
achievedPrecision equivalence principle tested to about 10^-15
acronymFor MICROSCOPE satellite mission self-linksurface differs
surface form: MICRO-Satellite à traînée Compensée pour l’Observation du Principe d’Équivalence
collaboratingInstitution Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
surface form: CNRS

European Space Agency
surface form: ESA

OCA
ONERA
countryOfOrigin France
dataRelease final results published 2022
dragCompensation active
fullName MICROSCOPE satellite mission self-linksurface differs
fundingAgency CNES
French Ministry of Higher Education and Research
improvedConstraint tightened limits on violation of weak equivalence principle
instrument differential electrostatic accelerometers
launchDate 2016-04-25
launchLocation Kourou
surface form: Kourou, French Guiana
launchSite Guiana Space Centre
launchVehicle Soyuz rocket
surface form: Soyuz ST-A
leadAgency CNES
mass approximately 300 kg
measurementType differential acceleration between test masses
missionEnd 2023
missionStatus completed
operator CNES
orbitAltitude about 710 km
orbitInclination about 98 degrees
orbitType low Earth orbit
payload T-SAGE instrument
primaryObjective test Einstein’s weak equivalence principle
publicationVenue Classical and Quantum Gravity
Physical Review Letters
relatedConcept Eötvös experiment
relatedMission STEP (Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle)
relatedTheory metric theories of gravity
result no violation of equivalence principle detected within experimental accuracy
scientificDiscipline fundamental physics
gravitation
scientificGoal compare free fall of different materials in orbit
spacecraftBus Myriade platform
testMassMaterial platinum-rhodium alloy
titanium alloy
testsConcept equivalence of inertial and gravitational mass
testsTheory general relativity
usesTechnology drag-free control system

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

MICROSCOPE satellite mission acronymFor MICROSCOPE satellite mission self-linksurface differs
subject surface form: MICROSCOPE
this entity surface form: MICRO-Satellite à traînée Compensée pour l’Observation du Principe d’Équivalence
MICROSCOPE satellite mission fullName MICROSCOPE satellite mission self-linksurface differs
subject surface form: MICROSCOPE
equivalence principle testedBy MICROSCOPE satellite mission