STE-QUEST
Encyclopedia
Space-Time Explorer and QUantum Equivalence Principle Space Test (STE-QUEST) is a proposed satellite mission to test the Einstein Equivalence Principle
to high precision and search for new fundamental constituents and interactions in the Universe. It will contain an atom clock and an atom interferometer
. It was selected for an initial assessment phase as one of the five candidates of the European Space Agency
's Cosmic Vision
program.
Equivalence principle
In the physics of general relativity, the equivalence principle is any of several related concepts dealing with the equivalence of gravitational and inertial mass, and to Albert Einstein's assertion that the gravitational "force" as experienced locally while standing on a massive body is actually...
to high precision and search for new fundamental constituents and interactions in the Universe. It will contain an atom clock and an atom interferometer
Atom interferometer
An Atom interferometer is an interferometer based on exploiting the wave character of atoms. Interferometers are often used to make high-precision comparisons of distances. This can be used to constrain fundamental constants like the Gravitational Constant or possibly to detect Gravitational...
. It was selected for an initial assessment phase as one of the five candidates of the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
's Cosmic Vision
Cosmic Vision
The Cosmic Vision is the paraphrasing name given to the roadmap for scientific space based missions of the European Space Agency in the time frame between 2015 and 2025....
program.