LIGO-G010262-00-M

Management of the LIGO Project

Gary Sanders

California Institute of Technology

Presented to the Committee on Programs and Plans of the National Science Board

August 9, 2001

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This Presentation

Introduction to LIGO How we have managed LIGO How NSF has managed LIGO Status of LIGO today

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Interferometers as Detectors of Gravitational Waves

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Detection of Gravitational Waves by Interferometry

suspended test masses

LIGO (4 km), stretch (squash) = 10-18 m will be detected at frequencies of 10 Hz to 104 Hz. It can detect waves from a distance of 600 106 light years

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LIGO Scope and Costs

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) is:» a joint project of Caltech and MIT

» construct and operate two observatories with 4 km interferometers

» detect gravitational waves

» initiate ground-based gravitational wave astronomy

LIGO has been supported through the NSF Division of Physics/Gravity Program» Construction cost $292 million (Major Research Equipment + R&D)

» Commissioning, early operations and R&D cost $79 million

» This funding covers 1994 - 2001

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Two Observatories - Long Baseline

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LIGO (Washington) LIGO (Louisiana)

LIGO Observatories

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LIGO Vacuum System

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LIGO 4 km Beam Tubes

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Optics Installation

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LIGO Schedule

1996 Construction Underway (mostly civil)

1997 Facility Construction (vacuum system)

1998 Interferometer Construction (complete facilities)

1999 Construction Complete (interferometers in vacuum)

2000 Detector Installation (commissioning subsystems)

2001 Commission Interferometers (first coincidences)

2002 Sensitivity studies (initiate LIGO I Science Run)

2003+ LIGO I data run (one year integrated data at h ~ 10-21)

2006+ Begin ‘advanced’ LIGO installation

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Construction Cost Schedule Performance

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

95-2

95-4

96-2

96-4

97-2

97-4

98-2

98-4

99-2

99-4

00-2

00-4

01-2

01-4

LIGO Quarter

$ M

illio

ns

Original Plan - $250M

Current Plan - $290M

Cooperative Agreement - $292M

Performance - $281M

Actuals Costs - $278M

Earned Value

98% complete

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Features of the LIGO Construction Project

University (Caltech+MIT) managed, no national laboratory

Two green field sites Carried out as two major subprojects

» 2/3 of the project constructs buildings, clean labs, vacuum system designed for ultimate terrestrial detectors

» 1/3 of project constructs initial detectors

NSF funding provided when scheduled, leading to a technically limited project

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Features of the LIGO Construction Project

Organized and executed like a bridge building project» Product oriented Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)» Scope and technical configuration defined and controlled» Cost and schedule integrated into a performance measurement baseline

with earned value analysis» Contingency funds managed centrally through a Change Control Board» Organization matches WBS

– Subsystem managers responsible to deliver products

» Subcontractors managed rigorously» Scientists fully integrated and aware of Voltaire’s maxim “le mieux est

l'ennemi du bien”– Scientists did not destabilize project but were also the source for project repair

and workaround

Big Science culture new to NSF and to Caltech/MIT scientists

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LIGO Project Work Breakdown and Organization

W o rk B re akd o w n S tru c tu re

C iv il F a c ilit ie sV a cu u m E qu ip m e ntB e am Tu beB e a m T ub e E n c losu re

F a c ilit ie s

L a se rs/O p ticsIso la tio n /S usp e ns ionC o n tro lsE n v . M o n ito r

.

.

D e te c to r

4 0 M e te r T e stP h a se N o ise T e stC a m pu s R ese a rch

R & D

P ro jec t M a n ag e m e ntC o s t/S che d u leS ys tem E n g in ee ringQ A /E S & HD o cu m e n t C o n tro lC o m pu ting

P ro jec t M a n ag e m e nt

L IG O P ro je ct

L IG O P ro jec t O rg a n iza tion

C iv il F a c ilit ie sV a cu u m E qu ip m e ntB e am Tu beB e a m T ub e E n c losu re

F a c ilit ie s

L a se rs/O p ticsIso la tio n /S usp e ns ionC o n tro lsE n v . M o n ito r

.

.

D e te c to r

4 0 M e te r T e stP h a se N o ise T e stC a m pu s R ese a rch

R & D

P ro jec t M a n ag e m e ntC o s t/S che d u leS ys tem E n g in ee ringQ A /E S & HD o cu m e n t Co n tro lC o m pu ting

P ro jec t M a n ag e m e nt

L IG O P I a nd P M

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LIGO Laboratory Organization

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Post Construction

Operating as a scientific program has been initiated Organized LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC)

» a ~30 institution, ~300 scientist international collaboration to carry out the

– observational science and– advanced R&D

» LSC includes LIGO Laboratory scientific staff

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What NSF Has Done

Through the Gravity Program, NSF has created an oversight function for LIGO

Cooperative Agreement and Project Management Plan created the formal framework

A dedicated program officer led the oversight and structured NSF review

Semiannual project reviews during construction used a standing committee with slowly varying membership to provide review of progress

Program officer employed an internal multidisciplinary team to coordinate NSF reviews and approvals with periodic meetings

» Gravity program, grants and agreements, legal, public affairs, government affairs, property management, budget,…

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LIGO “First Lock”

signal

LaserX Arm

Y Arm

Composite Video

2 min

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LIGO Status

Hanford 2 kilometer interferometer commissioned in final optical configuration

Livingston 4 kilometer interferometer commissioning in recombined configuration

Hanford 4 kilometer interferometer laser and mode cleaner commissioned with arms about to be illuminated

Engineering runs and mock data challenges carried out

Coincidence studies later this year Scientific running commences in 2002