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GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

GP-B Post-Flight Analysis—Final Report - Gravity Probe B - Stanford ...

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• The spin-down rates of all four gyros are considerably better thanexpected. <strong>GP</strong>-B’s conservative requirement was a characteristicspin-down period (time required to slow down to ~37% of its initialspeed) of 2,300 years. Recent measurements show that the actualcharacteristic spin-down period of the <strong>GP</strong>-B gyros exceeds 10,000years—well beyond the requirement.• Once tuned up, the spacecraft’s Attitude and Translation Control(ATC) system has been able to function at a spacecraft roll rate of0.7742 rpm—more than twice the roll rate of 0.3 rpm initiallyspecified.• The magnetic field surrounding the gyros and SQUIDs (SuperconductingQUantum Interference Device) has been reduced to0.0000001 gauss, less than one millionth of the Earth’s magneticfield—the lowest ever achieved in space.• The gyro readout measurements from the SQUID magnetometershave unprecedented precision, detecting fields to 0.0000000000001gauss, less than one trillionth of the strength of Earth’s magneticfield.• The science telescope on board the spacecraft is tracking the guidestar, IM Pegasi (HR 8703), to superb accuracy, and it is alsocollecting long-term brightness data on that star.A number of people have asked the following two-part question about<strong>GP</strong>-B: “Given that our gyros are spinning about half as fast as weoriginally anticipated, and that the IOC phase took about twice as longas originally anticipated, how will these two situations affect thesuccess of the <strong>GP</strong>-B experiment?”Regarding the gyros, several of the accomplishments above—especially the extremely low SQUID noise and higher than plannedspacecraft roll rate—have effectively reduced the error factor in the<strong>GP</strong>-B science experiment, thereby partially compensating for thereduced spin rates of the gyros.Regarding the extended length of the IOC phase, the <strong>GP</strong>-B mission isunique because it is truly a physics experiment in space. As such, thereare trade-offs that can be made. The primary trade-off we had towrestle with was: More optimization/calibration of the instrumentprior to entering science, with a shorter data collection period; or, lessoptimization/calibration, with a longer data collection period. Weconcluded that the best overall accuracy would be achieved byensuring that the science instrument was optimally calibrated from thestart, even if this meant collecting data for a shorter period than wehad hoped. And, in fact, we now have a considerably betterunderstanding of the instrument than originally anticipated at thisstage of the mission.The original ideal duration of the experiment was 13 months ofrelativity data gathering, but this is not essential, especially in view ofthe work we have now done on the optimization/calibration phase.After two months of science data collection, we can make a very goodmeasurement of the geodetic effect and a significant measurement ofthe frame-dragging effect. The data improves as the 3/2 power of thetime (i.e. double the time, and the result will improve by a factor of~3). In the near future, we will make another measurement of theresidual helium in the dewar, which will provide an accuratedetermination of its cryogenic lifetime. This, in combination with theobserved instrument performance, will indicate the final expectedaccuracy of the experiment.The <strong>GP</strong>-B program will not release the scientific results obtainedduring the mission until after the science phase has concluded. It iscritically important to thoroughly analyze the data to ensure itsaccuracy and integrity prior to releasing the results. After more than40 years of development, we have learned the value of thoroughnessand patience.10 SEPTEMBER 2004—GRAVITY PROBE B MISSIONUPDATE: Day 143Just over 20 weeks in orbit, <strong>GP</strong>-B remains in the Science Phase of themission. Gyros #1, #2, and #3 are in science mode, generatingrelativity data. Alignment of the spin axis of gyro #4 with the guidestar, IM Pegasi, is continuing and will be completed by early nextweek.The spacecraft remains in excellent health, rolling at a rate of 0.7742rpm (one revolution every 77.5 seconds). The Attitude andTranslation Control (ATC) system is maintaining a drag-free orbitaround gyro #3, and it is properly tracking the guide star, IM Pegasi,during the portion of each orbit when the guide star is visible. Thedewar temperature is nominal, and the flow of helium, venting fromthe dewar through the micro thrusters to maintain the drag-free orbithas remained within expected limits. All other spacecraft subsystemsare continuing to perform well.On Tuesday, September 7, a double-bit error occurred in a non-criticalmemory location of the spacecraft’s main (A-side) computer due to aproton hit. This type of error is likely to occur from time to timeduring the mission. The necessary correction was prepared anduploaded to the proper memory location of the computer. Thisincident had no effect on science data collection or spacecraftsubsystems.Our statement in last week’s highlights that the <strong>GP</strong>-B program will notbe releasing any scientific data or results until after the completion ofthe science and instrument re-calibration phases of the missionprompted several inquiries that essentially boil down to two questions:1) What steps have we taken to ensure the integrity of the raw data andthe accuracy of the results? And, 2) Why is it necessary to wait so longbefore releasing any results?<strong>GP</strong>-B’s principal investigator, Professor Francis Everitt, has beenquoted on several occasions as saying: “I don't care whether Einsteinwas right or wrong; what I want is the experimental truth.” This is ourguiding philosophy here at <strong>GP</strong>-B. The results of the <strong>GP</strong>-B experimentwill be invaluable to science whether or not they agree with Einstein'spredictions. Also, given that this experiment is unlikely to ever berepeated, everyone on the <strong>GP</strong>-B team feels a great sense of personalresponsibility to be as careful and thorough as possible in collectingthe data and cross checking our instruments and procedures foraccuracyMore specifically, in answer to the first question above, manysafeguards are built into the <strong>GP</strong>-B experiment to ensure the integrityof the raw data, the correctness of the data analysis, and the accuracyof the results. These safeguards include:• <strong>GP</strong>-B is a joint effort between NASA, <strong>Stanford</strong>, and LockheedMartin. People from NASA and Lockheed Martin work on site herein the <strong>GP</strong>-B facilities at <strong>Stanford</strong>, and NASA managers review all<strong>GP</strong>-B mission activities.• <strong>GP</strong>-B has an external Science Advisory Committee, comprised ofrenowned physicists and space scientists. That committee hasoverseen the preparations for data collection, and it will review allof the data and analysis before the results are published.<strong>Gravity</strong> <strong>Probe</strong> B — <strong>Post</strong> <strong>Flight</strong> Analysis • Final <strong>Report</strong> March 2007 485

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