LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) will be the largest interferometer ever built, which will provide a completely new way to observe the most energetic processes in the universe such as gravitational waves, black holes. Its different sub-modules need to be simultaneously robust enough to survive launch and orbital loads and as light as possible to fit the tigth mass budget. Similarly, they need to reach a temperature field as homogeneous as possible to ensure thermo-elastic distortion do not jeopardize the measurements while ideally active thermal control should be avoided. Even the lightest vibration from an active cooling system can introduce noyse in these delicate systems
Madrid Space has been a key contributor to the development of the LISA Phase Measurement Sub-System (PMS). In support to the Max Plank Institute for Gravitational Physic (Albert Einstein Institute) Madrid Space took on the mechanical design combining all the mentioned requirements, the structural verification and the generation of mechanical interface control document (MICD) throughout project phases A and B1 including prototyping.
The design process of the Instrument Processing Unit led to a light but robust aluminium frame able to host and protect the back end electronics and frequency distribution system modules during the demanding launch quasit-static and vibration loads (sine, random, shock). Additionally, Madrid Space managed the manufacturing and sucessfully delivered the mechanical bread-board model.
