Detecting gravitational waves with atom interferometry

Prospects for gravitational wave detection using light-pulse atom interferometry are reviewed. We describe recent proposals for a satellite detector and discuss how the top-level system architecture is impacted by the details of the atomic physics processes used to implement the atom interferometry. Much of the required atom technology development for such a detector can be done in groundbased experiments. In this context, we present recent results from long-time atom interferometry performed in a 10-meter atomic fountain.