Step (satellite test of the equivalence principle)

STEP is one of a number of missions now being developed to take advantage of the quiet space environment to carry out very sensitive gravitational experiments. Using pairs of concentric free-falling proof-masses, STEP will be able to test the equivalence principle (EP) to a sensitivity at least five orders of magnitude better than currently achievable on ground. The EP is a founding principle of general relativity and STEP is the most sensitive experiment of this type planned so far, aiming at 1 part in 1018. 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.