Patent ID: 6837106

Claim:
A gravity gradient measuring system for use in an aircraft comprising: (a) a gravity gradiometer for mounting in an aircraft; (b) a coarse stage isolation mount for mounting in an aircraft for attenuating first displacements of the gradiometer relative to a flight path ideal to the measurement of gravity including: (i) a platform; (ii) translation stages supporting said platform for movement along three orthogonal axes, whereby said translation stages isolate said platform from low frequency, first displacements of the aircraft along any of said three orthogonal axes in response to turbulence, thereby minimizing the acceleration of said platform relative to inertial space; (iii) rail means supporting said translation stages permitting movement of said platform along said three orthogonal axes; (iv) drive means for moving said translation stages along said rail means; and (v) first control means for determining the position of and controlling movement of said translation stages along said rail means; and (c) a fine stage isolation mount carried by said platform means of the coarse stage isolation mount for supporting said gradiometer and adapted to attenuate second, high frequency displacements of the gradiometer relative to an aircraft and consequently relative to a flight path ideal to the measurement of gravity gradients, said second displacements being smaller than said first displacements.