Groundbreaking Ceremony for Gravitational-Wave Detector Project in Japan

In January the gravitational-wave detector community welcomed the arrival of a new member into its family. The KAGRA project held its groundbreaking ceremony this month in Kamioka, Japan. An acronym derived from KA (KAmioka) and GRA (GRAvitational wave telescope), KAGRA is the new name given to the LCGT detector project of the University of Tokyo's Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, in cooperation with the National Astronomical Observatory and the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization.

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration spokesperson, Gabriela Gonzalez, was on hand at the ceremony, while the LIGO Executive Director, David Reitze, sent a congratulatory video message.

See photos of KAGRA's groundbreaking ceremony in Kamioka, Japan.

LIGO Executive Director David Reitze delivers a congratulatory video message to KAGRA.

Official KAGRA website.