Interferometric gravitational-wave instruments

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves. Prior to LIGO, all data about the universe has come in the form of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation, from limited direct exploration on relatively nearby Solar System objects such as the Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and their moons, asteroids etc, and from high energy cosmic particles. Initially, two large observatories were built in the United States with the aim of detecting gravitational waves by laser interferometr

third large mission of Cosmic Vision; gravitational-wave space observatory

gravitational waves detector

GEO600 is a gravitational wave detector located near Sarstedt, a town to the south of Hanover, Germany. It is designed and operated by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics and the Leibniz Universität Hannover, along with University of Glasgow, University of Birmingham and Cardiff University in the United Kingdom, and is funded by the Max Planck Society and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

The Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) is a large-scale physics experiment designed to detect gravitational waves predicted by the general theory of relativity. It is located underground at the Kamioka Observatory which is near the Kamioka section of the city of Hida in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. KAGRA is a Michelson interferometer with 3-km arm length and is designed to eventually be able to observe gravitational wave signatures from binary neutron star mergers at a distance of up to ~150 Mpc .

gravitational wave detector under design

proposed Japanese gravitational wave observatory

will launch in mid 2070s