# NASA advances LISA telescope development to final preflight test unit

_Published Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 12:06 PM EDT · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![The prototype LISA telescope undergoes post-delivery inspection in a darkened NASA Goddard clean room on May 20. The entire telescope is made from an amber-colored glass-ceramic that resists changes in shape over a wide temperature range, and the mirror’s surface is coated in gold. Credit: NASA/Dennis HenryAlt text: A technician inspects a prototype LISA telescope.Image description: In a darkened clean room, a technician clad in white coveralls, hood, mask, and blue gloves inspects a prototype telescope set within a black frame. At center, the telescope’s translucent, tan-colored structure glows as the technician shines a flashlight behind it. Other suited people partially appear in the background at right, while at top and left ceiling lights from areas beyond the clean room can be seen through windows. — Primary](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/gsfc-20240520-lisa-000535.jpg)

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.

## Sources

- [NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/lisa/nasa-advances-lisa-mission-contributions-with-new-test-telescope/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/bL-O1RlB-G-0P6Y8eqnx-7
Published: 2026-10-08T16:06:50.523Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-08T15:31:24.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-08T18:48:32.032Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)