ON TWO-BODY SPACE EXPERIMENTS FOR MEASURING GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTION PARAMETERS

Abstract

Recently two methods of measuring the gravitational constant G, possible equivalence principle violation (measured by the Eötvös parameter η) and the hypothetic 5th force parameters α and λ on board a drag-free Earth’s satellite were suggested: SEE (Satellite Energy Exchange) and LPH (Libration Point Hitting). These methods are developed and compared. Various particle trajectories near a heavy ball are studied numerically and analytically. Some basic sources of error are analysed. The G measurement procedure is modelled by noise insertion to a “true” trajectory. It is concluded that the presense knowledge of G, α (for λ≥1 m) and η can be improved by at least two orders of magnitude.