‘Sci-fi instrument’ will hunt for giant gravitational waves in space

The first experiment to measure gravitational waves from space has been given the go ahead by the European Space Agency. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will send laser-equipped spacecraft to orbit the Sun in search of gigantic ripples in space-time caused by mergers between supermassive black holes, the spiralling of colliding white-dwarf stars and other events. Construction of the multibillion-euro mission will begin in 2025, with the launch planned for 2035.