Final answer:
The LIGO mission is designed to detect gravitational waves, confirming general relativity and enabling new astronomical observations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The LIGO mission, which stands for Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is designed to detect gravitational waves. These are ripples in the fabric of spacetime that are caused by violent and energetic processes in the universe, such as the merger of two black holes or neutron stars. General relativity predicted the existence of gravitational waves, and these were first detected directly by LIGO in 2015. LIGO's historic detection not only confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity but also ushered in a new era of gravitational wave astronomy, providing a novel way to observe cosmic events that are otherwise invisible to traditional telescopes.