ESPACE · European Satellite PArtnership for Computing Ephemerides

This ESPACE project aims at strengthening the collaboration and at developing new knowledge, new technology, and products for the scientific community in the domains of the development of ephemerides and reference systems for natural satellites and spacecraft by conjugating expertise of main European research centres involved in space sciences and dynamics, ROB, TUB, JIVE, TUD, CNES, DLR and IMCCE. The main part of the activity is focused on the extraction and analysis of astrometric data from space measurements not yet applied to the dynamics and to combine them with ground-based astrometric data. The project will also advance the European expertise in ultra-precise tracking of planetary probes and other deep space science missions. By these means, we intend to provide new dynamical models for several natural satellites, a characterization of their rotation properties, and improve spacecraft orbit determination methods for space science. The project is organised in 11 work-packages: coordination (management), radio science, laser ranging, VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry), digitized data handling, astrometry, definition of coordination reference frames and improvement of planetary coordinate knowledge, methods for determination of spacecraft and satellites’ ephemerides, formation of databases, data access and distribution methods, educational and outreach activities. The project will concentrate at achieving maximum synergy between all the work packages above in order to deliver to the professional and at-large communities the best scientific products adequate to the present-day cutting-edge space science and technology.