NASA advances LISA telescope development to final preflight test unit

NASA is advancing development of the final preflight test telescope for LISA, the European-led space observatory designed to detect gravitational waves. L3Harris Technologies will design, assemble and integrate the unit, incorporating lessons from testing a prototype delivered in 2024. The telescope will use Zerodur, a ceramic-glass material that resists temperature-driven changes in shape. LISA's three spacecraft will exchange infrared laser signals to measure tiny changes in their relative distances. NASA says the new unit will be its first optical telescope delivery to ESA; the mission is slated to launch in the mid-2030s.