LISA Pathfinder: In-orbit experiments and characterisation

The LISA Pathnder (LPF) mission aims to demonstrate and characterise some of the key technologies needed for the space-borne gravitational wave observatory, LISA. On the one hand, we aim to show that a test-mass can be placed in free-fall at a level of 3 1014 ms2 at 1 mHz. On the other hand, in order to extrapolate the performance of the key technologies from LPF to LISA, we must develop a detailed and accurate model of the system. By characterising the instrument through a series of experiments, the noise in the system should be reduced to achieve the desired level of free-fall and a detailed physical model of the system can be developed. In this paper we describe the scope of the experiments that are planned for the mission operations phase.