ESA starts LISA plans

So LISA is moving ahead with a possible all European mission to look for low frequency gravitational radiation

Next Steps for LISA

..."As announced by ESA in March 2011, due to a modified international cooperation scenario, it is now necessary to study a European-only mission that offers a significant reduction of the cost while maintaining its core science objectives.

...

The goal of this phase is to identify a few mission profiles that can achieve a substantial cost reduction whilst minimizing the impact on the science return

...

The selected mission architecture will maximize the use of elements developed in the frame of the LISA Pathfinder project or already studied in the LISA mission formulation activity.

It is expected that this study will produce a mission design and architecture compatible with the mission and the scientific requirements to be further refined in the subsequent phase A/B1 study.

The output of this activity will be a technical and a programmatic document that will be reviewed in the fourth quarter of 2011."

I don't see how they can get a viable mission concept into the budget constraints, though now will be a good time for some creative lateral thinking.

Hope something viable comes out of it.

via Rubbo