Math & science · around 2037

Space gravitational-wave observatory

Projection

Three spacecraft millions of kilometres apart listen for merging supermassive black holes.

LISA will use laser links between spacecraft to detect low-frequency gravitational waves invisible to ground detectors. It would trace how galaxies and their central black holes grew.

Why it’s plausible: ESA adopted the mission in 2024 with launch planned for the mid-2030s and a pathfinder has already flown; timing depends on budgets and complex spacecraft integration.

See it in the living treeWikipedia