Progress of the TianQin project

TL;DR

TianQin is a planned space-based gravitational wave observatory with a timeline of technological development steps leading to its launch around 2035, aiming to detect a variety of astrophysical sources in the 10^{-4} Hz to 1 Hz frequency band.

Contribution

This paper details the progress and technological milestones achieved and planned for the TianQin gravitational wave observatory project.

Findings

Successful lunar laser ranging to retro-reflectors.

Demonstration of drag-free control technology.

Approval and upcoming launch of TianQin-2 satellites.

Abstract

TianQin is a future space-based gravitational wave observatory targeting the frequency window of $10^{-4}$ Hz $\sim 1$ Hz. A large variety of gravitational wave sources are expected in this frequency band, including the merger of massive black hole binaries, the inspiral of extreme/intermediate mass ratio systems, stellar-mass black hole binaries, Galactic compact binaries, and so on. TianQin will consist of three Earth orbiting satellites on nearly identical orbits with orbital radii of about $10^5$ km. The satellites will form a normal triangle constellation whose plane is nearly perpendicular to the ecliptic plane. The TianQin project has been progressing smoothly following the ``0123" technology roadmap. In step ``0", the TianQin laser ranging station has been constructed and it has successfully ranged to all the five retro-reflectors on the Moon. In step ``1", the drag-free control technology has been tested and demonstrated using the TianQin-1 satellite. In step ``2", the inter-satellite laser interferometry technology will be tested using the pair of TianQin-2 satellites. The TianQin-2 mission has been officially approved and the satellites will be launched around 2026. In step ``3", i.e., the TianQin-3 mission, three identical satellites will be launched around 2035 to form the space-based gravitational wave detector, TianQin, and to start gravitational wave detection in space.