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arXiv:1105.3456gr-qc

Gravity Probe B: Final Results of a Space Experiment to Test General Relativity

C. W. F. Everitt, D. B. DeBra, B. W. Parkinson, J. P. Turneaure, J. W. Conklin, M. I. Heifetz, G. M. Keiser, A. S. Silbergleit, T. Holmes, J. Kolodziejczak, M. Al-Meshari, J. C. Mester, B. Muhlfelder, V. Solomonik, K. Stahl, P. Worden, W. Bencze, S. Buchman, B. Clarke, A. Al-Jadaan, H. Al-Jibreen, J. Li, J. A. Lipa, J. M. Lockhart, B. Al-Suwaidan, M. Taber, S. Wang

Abstract

Gravity Probe B, launched 20 April 2004, is a space experiment testing two fundamental predictions of Einstein's theory of General Relativity (GR), the geodetic and frame-dragging effects, by means of cryogenic gyroscopes in Earth orbit. Data collection started 28 August 2004 and ended 14 August 2005. Analysis of the data from all four gyroscopes results in a geodetic drift rate of -6,601.8+/- 18.3 mas/yr and a frame-dragging drift rate of -37.2 +/- 7.2 mas/yr, to be compared with the GR predictions of -6,606.1 mas/yr and -39.2 mas/yr, respectively (`mas' is milliarc-second; 1mas = 4.848 x 10-9 rad).

arXiv comments
Journal reference
Phys.Rev.Lett.106:221101,2011
DOI
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.221101
Subjects
gr-qcGeneral Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

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  1. The best proof that the Earth spins 1 comment

    • These effects are technically present but negligible for all practical purposes (well, unless you're building the next Gravity Probe B). The geodetic precession for a satellite in polar LEO is roughly 1 deg per 500 years [1]; the other types are orders of magnitude smaller.…

      panda-giddinessView on HNParent context

  2. Einstein Was Right: NASA Announces Results of Epic Space-Time Experiment 1 comment

    • This experiment did not set out to "prove" anything. I think you'll find that the original article does not use the word "prove" even once. The experiment set out to experimentally test the accuracy of Einstein's predictions. The results of the experiment showed that under these…

      humbledroneView on HNParent context

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