Gravitational Waves the New Generation of Laser Interferometric Detectors

The effort to develop suspended mass interferometers for gravitational wave detection has lead to an ambitious new set of long baseline interferometers that will soon become operational. The goals and status of the various projects and planned early physics programs are reviewed. The anticipated sensitivities of these instruments are compared with expected source rates, and the prospects and challenges for science running as these instruments become operational is discussed. Finally, the planned evolution of these detectors in the future is outlined.