Abstract

A proposal is made to test Newton's inverse-square law using the perihelion shift of test masses (planets) in free fall within a spacecraft located at the Earth–Sun L2 point. Such an artificial planetary system in space (APSIS) will operate in a drag-free environment with controlled experimental conditions and minimal interference from terrestrial sources of contamination. We demonstrate that such a space experiment can probe the presence of a "hidden" fifth dimension on the scale of a micron, if the periapsis shift of a "planet" can be measured to sub-arc-second accuracy. Some suggestions for spacecraft design are made.

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