MICROSCOPE instrument description and validation

TL;DR

The paper details the design, validation, and performance of specialized accelerometers for the MICROSCOPE satellite, enabling precise measurements of weak gravitational forces to test General Relativity.

Contribution

It introduces a customized accelerometer system with high-performance electronics and sensors optimized for micro-g force measurements in space.

Findings

Successful validation of accelerometer performance

High sensitivity to weak electrostatic forces

Effective integration with satellite control systems

Abstract

Dedicated accelerometers have been developed for the MICROSCOPE mission taking into account the specific range of acceleration to be measured on board the satellite. Considering one micro-g and even less as the full range of the instrument, leads to a customized concept and a high performance electronics for the sensing and servo-actuations of the accelerometer test-masses. In addition to a very accurate geometrical sensor core, a high performance electronics architecture provides the measurement of the weak electrostatic forces and torques applied to the test-masses. A set of capacitive sensors delivers the position and the attitude of the test-mass with respect to a very steady gold coated cage made in silica. The voltages applied on the electrodes surrounding each test-mass are finely controlled to generate the adequate electrical field and so the electrostatic pressures on the test-mass. This field maintains the test-mass motionless with respect to the instrument structure. Digital control laws are implemented in order to enable instrument operation flexibility and a weak position sensor noise. These electronics provide both the scientific data for MICROSCOPE's test of General Relativity and the data for the satellite drag-free and attitude control system (DFACS).