Gravity Probe B

Já foi referido anteriormente aqui, que a NASA confirmou dois pontos essenciais da teoria da Relatividade Geral de Einstein, através dos dados recolhidos pela sonda Gravity Probe B.

Os vídeos do sítio space.com, explicam sucintamente a experiência:

1) Simple concept, decades of work:

A star, telescope and a spinning sphere are all that are necessary but the precise technologies needed to make this orbiting time-space experiment reality took 4 decades to develop. Credit: Designed by Bob Kahn & James Overduin, Stanford/GP-B; Animators Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC

2) Relativity’s Space Behind Yardstick:

The Gravity Probe B satellite takes on the task of proving predictions made by Einstein’s general theory of relativity through measurements of Earth’s local space-time; this animation shows you how its done.

3) Einstein theory Satellite’s drag free ride

To measure the tiny effects predicted by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, the Gravity Probe B satellite must provide its gyroscopes a steady ride, free of disturbances from atmospheric drag and solar radiation pressure.

4) Superconductive Gyro and its sensitive SQUID

Gravity Probe B’s ultra-precise instruments can detect displacement between star and satellite to approximately the angular width of a human hair. Watch how the gyroscopes and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID) make it possible.Credit: Designed by Bob Kahn & James Overduin, Stanford/GP-B; Animators Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC

5) Final nail in Newton’s theory

Sir Isaac Newton’s mechanical concept of gravity yields to Einstein’s general theory of relativity as Gravity Probe B shows there’s more to Space-Time than we can see. Watch how the satellite would work in Newton’s eyes.Credit: Designed by Bob Kahn & James Overduin, Stanford/GP-B; Animators Lee Kolb & Greg Trent, NASA/MSFC