LISA Pathfinder (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna)

LISA Pathfinder was a space mission launched by the European Space Agency to test technologies for detecting gravitational waves—ripples in spacetime caused by massive cosmic events. It used highly sensitive instruments to measure tiny movements of free-floating test masses in space, ensuring they remain nearly perfectly isolated from external forces. Successfully demonstrating this technology helps pave the way for the full Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a future observatory planned to detect gravitational waves from sources across the universe, enhancing our understanding of fundamental physics and cosmic phenomena.