GEODESY DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT (GEDEX) FOR SPACE VLBI: STATE OF THE ART AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

M. N. Kulkarni , J. Adam , I. Fejes , S. Frey , B. Kampes , Y. Zheng , X. Hu

1. Survey of India, Dehradun, India, 2. TU of Budapest, Hungary, 3. FMI SGO, Hungary, 4. TU of Delft, The Netherlands, 5. Z.Z.Inst.for Svy.& Mpg.,China, 6. Centre for Astro-Geod.Res.,China.

SCIENTIFIC ASSEMBLY OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEODESY - IAG97 XVIII BRAZILIAN CONGRESS OF CARTOGRAPHY September 3 - 9, 1997 Rio de Janerio - Brazil

GEODESY DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT (GEDEX) FOR SPACE VLBI: STATE OF THE ART AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT M. N. Kulkarni , J. Adam , I. Fejes , S. Frey , B. Kampes , Y. Zheng , X. Hu ABSTRACT
The aim of the GEDEX, which is being designed by an international team of scientists, is to explore the feasibility of Geodetic & Geodynamic applications of Space VLBI. In this paper, the outline of this experiment has been presented. A brief description of the Space VLBI technique has been provided, followed by a summary of the significant theoretical developments. Salient features of the VSOP mission, and an overview of the various aspects of GEDEX have been presented. The state of the art of software for Geodetic SVLBI has been outlined, and the different steps in software development for the GEDEX have been described in detail. Conclusions drawn from the work done so far, and recommendations for future work have been presented.
1 2 3 3 4 5 6

1. INTRODUCTION:
One of the challenges facing the geodesists in the 21st century is the precise definition, practical realization, and interconnection of different references frames, for which new observational techniques, models and procedures are constantly being explored and implemented. With the launching of the first Space Very Long Baseline Interferometry (SVLBI) satellite: the VLBI Space Observatory Programme (VSOP) of Japan, in February 1997, to be followed by the proposed launch of the second satellite: RADIOASTRON of Russia in 1999, the new astro- geodetic technique of Space VLBI has become a reality. This unique technique, which provides a direct tie between the Conventional Inertial reference System (CIS) and the Conventional Terrestrial reference System (CTS), has potential applications in Geodesy and Geodynamics. The aim of the GEodesy Demonstration EXperiment (GEDEX) for VSOP is to explore the feasibility of using this promising technique for some important Geodetic and Geodynamic applications, including the interconnection of the reference frames. An international team of scientists, working under the auspices of the FMI Satellite Geodetic Observatory (SGO), Penc, Hungary, is in the process of designing the GEDEX. 1. Survey of India, Dehradun, India, 2. TU of Budapest, Hungary, 3. FMI SGO, Hungary, 4. TU of Delft, The Netherlands, 5. Z.Z.Inst.for Svy.& Mpg.,China, 6. Centre for Astro-Geod.Res.,China.

2. THE SPACE VLBI: SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Space VLBI is an extension of the ground based VLBI in to the space, with either one or both the VLBI antennas mounted on Earth orbiting satellite(s). These antennas observe the signals from the extragallactic sources simultaneously with the ground VLBI network, yielding new observables like the space baselines delay and delay rates, along with ground VLBI delay and delay rates. Due to the extension of the baseline beyond the physical dimensions of the Earth, made possible by SVLBI, and the direct tie between CIS and CTS provided by these new observables, this unique technique has potential for some important applications in Geodesy and Geodynamics. The SVLBI concept was successfully demonstrated by the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) mission of NASA, and the first SVLBI satellite: VSOP of Japan has already been launched in Feb. 1997, with the second: RADIOASTRON of Russia, presently under preparation. For more details, see Adam (1990), Kulkarni (1992), NRO (1989).

3. THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENTS:
In order to investigate the feasibility of Geodetic and Geodynamic applications of the SVLBI technique, theoretical investigations have been carried out at various Geodetic SVLBI research groups, including the FMI Satellite Geodetic Observatory (SGO), Hungary, The Ohio State University (OSU), USA, the Shanghai Observatory, China, York University, Canada, etc. For a detailed review, see Fejes (1994). The estimability of Geodetic parameters from SVLBI observables has been investigated in detail by Adam (1990), and an estimable set of parameters has been established. The feasibility of this estimation, with emphasis on the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP's) for reference frames connection, has been studied by Kulkarni (1992), with the conclusion that SVLBI observables can significantly contribute to estimation of EOP's. Some applications of SVLBI for Astrometry, Geodynamics and Space Physics have been investigated in detail by Zheng (1992). Klatt (1995) has studied the problem of SVLBI orbit reconstruction, and concluded that considerable benefit can be obtained from combining VLBI observables with range rate for orbit reconstruction, and tying the VLBI reference frame to the geocentre. Kulkarni and Adam (1993) have carried out sensitivity analysis for orbit determination of SVLBI satellites, concluding that an accuracy of 1 m in VSOP orbit determination is possible. Zheng (1995) has carried out research in VLBI database and software for Astrometry and Geodesy. All these theoretical studies have established the importance of Geodetic applications of SVLBI beyond doubt. The International Association of Geodesy (IAG) had established a Special Study Group

(SSG 2.109) for this purpose, which coordinated these tasks from 1987 to 1995 (see Fejes, 1992 and Adam, 1995).

4. THE VSOP MISSION:

The first SVLBI satellite, VSOP was launched on Feb. 12, 1997, by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science The (ISAS), VSOP Japan Mission (see is a VSOP Internet effort homepage: by many http://www.vsop.isis.ac.jp/). collaborative

international organizations, including the ISAS, the U.S. Space VLBI Project, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), USA, and the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE). The VSOP spacecraft has an 8 m radio telescope mounted on it. An international network of ground stations, which will also involve the Deep Space Network (DSN) 26 m tracking stations will track the spacecraft and record its wideband VLBI data. The VSOP Mission is divided into four phases during which different kinds of mission operations will be conducted, viz. the Launch Phase, the Spacecraft Checkout Phase, Space-Ground Checkout Phase, and the Observational Phase. The Mission is designated as Astrophysics Mission, however, the observations obtained will also be utilized for Geodetic and Geodynamic applications. For more details, see Wiercigroch et al (1996).

5. SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR GEODETIC SVLBI:

The activities related to software development for applications of SVLBI for Geodesy and Geodynamics were taken up in the 1980s at various Geodetic SVLBI research groups in different Institutes. The main thrust of these activities has been on modifying the existing Geodetic VLBI software packages to include the SVLBI observables, and on simulating the SVLBI delay and delay rate observations. The SGOFAKE orbit simulation programme for SVLBI was developed at the SGO in 1987-88 to test and prove the concept of using SVLBI observations for orbit and geodetic parameter estimation (see Fejes & Mihaly, 1991). Another software package, the SVLBI User Assistance Software (SPAS), has also been developed at the SGO for simulation of SVLBI experiments, scheduling, etc. (see Frey & Fejes, 1993) The Geodetic VLBI software OCCAM developed by Zarraoa has been combined with the UTOPIA orbit determination software developed at the Center for Space Research, University of Texax, USA, and extended to include Space VLBI orbit and data simulation and parameter estimation, called Space VLBI Kalman filter processing software (SPVK), by Zheng and Hu at the Shanghai Observatory, and the Z. Z. Institute of Surveying & Mapping, China (see Zheng, 1997). Kulkarni (1992) has developed a SVLBI simulation and adjustment software package named OSUSVLBI at The Ohio State University,

USA. Klatt (1995) has modified the OCCAM software to include SVLBI data processing capabilities. A summary of salient features of these software packages is given in Table 1. In the absence of real data, all these software have used simulated SVLBI data parameter estimation. for geodetic

6. VSOP GEDEX PROJECT:

6.1. Background: The concept of using SVLBI technique for applications in Geodesy and Geodynamics, including orbit determination, tying the reference frames through estimation of the EOPs, etc. was first discussed briefly in the QUASAT Workshop in 1984. Once it was established, through the theoretical investigations and simulation studies described above, that this new technique has the potential for such applications, the next obvious step was to formulate a plan to experiment with real data, when available. In response to the first VSOP Announcement of Opportunity, the proposal on GEDEX was submitted by the SGO (see Fejes et al., 1996), and accepted by the VSOP Proposal Review Committee, see Hirabayashi (1996). The proposal was ranked among the top 10% by the Scientific Review Committee, hence, it is highly likely to be scheduled. 6.2. Objectives: The GEDEX is a concept demonstration experiment using the VSOP satellite and the co-observing ground VLBI stations in the following areas of Geodesy and Geodynamical research: (i) Connection of the terrestrial and extragalactic celestial reference frames, as the observation equations contain the radio source and ground station coordinates and the EOPs, which are the basic components of transformation between these two systems. (ii) An improvement in the orbit determination accuracy of SVLBI satellites, using the SVLBI delay and delay rate observables, which would also provide a tie between the dynamically defined inertial reference frame of the SVLBI satellite orbit and the terrestrial and celestial reference frames. (iii) A direct determination of the geocentric position of the ground VLBI stations participating in the SVLBI experiment, and checking their translation with respect to other reference frames, including estimation of the geocentre offsets. 6.3. Data: The input data expected for the GEDEX Project is the ground and space VLBI delay and delay rates, and also the time tagged range and range rate data from the telemetry stations, including the two way reference frequency Doppler shift data. Unfortunately, only single

frequency VLBI data will be available. In addition to this data, the precise geocentric ITRF coordinates of the ground VLBI and telemetry stations will be required, which can be obtained from the global VLBI solutions and from the IERS. The standard reconstructed orbit data will be obtained from the Orbit Determination Groups. 6.4. Analysis Strategy: The strategy used in the analysis will depend on which geodetic parameters are to be estimated, and which can be fixed as a priori information. The focus will be on the three goals outlined above, viz. the estimation of the EOPs, determination of the orbit with the highest possible accuracy, and estimating the geocentre offsets. The ground network and the SVLBI data will be handled separately in the first phase of the estimation process, and in the second phase, a combined solution will be implemented to yield the best possible estimates of the geodetic parameters being estimated. The output of the analysis will answer the question: how effectively can the SVLBI data be used for geodetic and geodynamical applications in the future. 6.5 Expected Benefits: In GEDEX, using specially designed observation sequences of highly compact extra-galactic radio sources, the consistency of the terrestrial frame and its geocentric origin defined by the IERS Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) locations of the participating ground VLBI stations and the satellite orbit will be analyzed. New analysis tools and software will be developed and tested. It is expected that by using real SVLBI data, new insights will be obtained concerning the SVLBI applications, even though significant improvements in the accuracy of estimation of the parameters may not be expected, due to several limitations and observation constraints. The experience gained through this experiment will certainly be useful in planning and design of the next generation SVLBI missions, including the future Geodetic SVLBI satellite missions. This experiment may also provide some explicit benefits for astronomy experiments, by testing the limit of the orbit determination accuracy of the SVLBI satellite. The method and procedures developed could later be used where high precision orbit is necessary.

7. GEDEX SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT:

7.1 The GEDEX Group: As no standard procedures presently exist for the kind of data analysis involved in the GEDEX, considerable amount of software development is required to be carried out. For this purpose, an international team of scientists working under the auspices of the SGO has been formulated, as listed in Table 2. The GEDEX Working Group has initiated the geodetic management and development of the GEDEX software during their collaborative work at the SGO during the summer of 1997, and the work is presently under progress.

7.2 User Requirements: The first and most important task was to identify the input/output data and system requirements of the GEDEX Project from the user point of view. In consultation with various SVLBI experts, these have been finalized at the SGO, as listed in Table 3 (see also Frey & Fejes, 1997). 7.3. Data Input: The input data, as identified in the User Requirements, is required to be obtained, along with its detailed format specifications, stored in a data base specially established and managed for this purpose, converted to the format acceptable to the processing software, and input to it. For this purpose, interfaces have to be developed. This task is especially difficult for this project due to two reasons: firstly, the non-standard data requirements of the task, which make the data format specifications and the data itself difficult to obtain, and secondly, the numerous data formats involved in the available real data and the input data to the processing software, which necessitate the development of many interfaces for data transfer. This task is presently underway at the SGO. 7.4. Software Development: The different modules of the GEDEX software are shown in a flow chart in Figure 1. The GEDEX software system will consist of the following main modules: data transfer interfaces, data input modules, orbit estimation module, geodetic parameter estimation module, error analysis module, orbit and data simulation modules, software testing module, and data output modules. The geodetic parameter estimation software being developed and tested will be based on the OCCAM/SPVK software, with modifications/augmentations incorporated from other software like OSUSVLBI, to include estimation of EOPs and geocentre offsets, and a detailed error analysis. The software will be fully tested for simulated data, before using real data. 7.5. Data Products: The output data products from the GEDEX software system, as outlined in Table 2, will be stored in a database accessible to the scientific community for further research, in user-friendly data formats. These will also be distributed to the SVLBI Research Groups for their scrutiny, evaluation and suggestions, for future developments. The main products will be the improved SVLBI satellite orbits, the estimated EOPs, and the geocentre offsets.

8. CONCLUSIONS:
The new astro-geodetic technique of Space VLBI has the potential for some important applications in Geodesy and Geodynamics. With the feasibility of these applications having been established through the theoretical investigations in this area, as outlined above, it is

important to study them for the real data, which will soon be available from the VSOP Mission. The GEDEX
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Project is the first step in this direction. With this experiment, it is hoped, that the doors to this new unique technique will open for the geodetic community. Even though the configuration of the VSOP is not suited to geodetic applications, and hence, high accuracy in geodetic parameter estimation may not be achievable, this experiment will form the basis of future investigations of SVLBI technique. Thus, the method, procedures and software developed for the GEDEX, and the experience gained, will prepare the geodetic community for the possible launch of Geodetic SVLBI missions, hopefully in the near future.

9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The GEDEX Project was conceived, and the software development group was organized at the FMI SGO, under the guidance of Dr. Istvan Fejes, Head, SGO. The financial support received by the FMI SGO from the Hungarian Space Office under contract no. TP 17, and from the European Union under contract no. ERBCIPDCT925072 is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the SVLBI experts from different organizations, who have provided valuable suggestions and information to the GEDEX Project.

10. REFERENCES:
- dm, J. (1990): Estimability of Geodetic Parameters from Space VLBI Observables. Report No. 406, Dept. of Geodetic Science and Surveying, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, July. - dm, J.(1995): Report of IAG Special Study Group 2.109 - Application of Space VLBI in the Field of Astrometry and Geodynamics. Presented at the XXI IAG/IUGG General Assembly, Boulder, Colorado, USA, July. - Fejes, I. and Sz. Mihaly (1991): Application of SVLBI to Satellite Dynamics, Adv. Space Res. vol. 11, No. 2, pp (2)429-(2)437. Fejes, I. (1992): Report of IAG Special Study Group 2.109 - Application of Space VLBI in the Field of Astrometry and Geodynamics. Travaux de LAssociation Internationale de Godsie, Tome 29, Ed. by P. Willis, pp. 189-192, Paris, 1992. - Fejes, I. (1994): Techniques and Methods in Geodynamical Research: Space VLBI, Acta Geod. Geoph. Hung., Vol. 29(3-4), pp. 443-456(1994). - Fejes, I. , N. Kawaguchi, Sz. Mihaly (1996): Space VLBI Geodesy: background of an experiment proposal, Astrophysics & Space Science vol. 239, pp. 275-280. - Fejes, I., D.W. Murphy, A.R. Taylor, Y. Yakinov, G. Young (1994): SPAS Software, in VLBI Technology: Progress and Future Observational Possibilities, p.59, Ed. T. Sasao et al., Terra Scientific Publ.Co., Japan. - Frey, S. and I. Fejes (1993): Space VLBI User Software - an Overview. Paper presented at the 26th Young European Radio Astronomers Conference, Les Houches, France, September 13-17, 1993. - Frey, S. and I. Fejes (1997): GEDEX User Requirements Document, ver. 1.0, FMI SGO, Penc, Hungary, March 28. - Hirabayashi, H. (1996): VSOP Proposal Review Results, email to Dr. I. Fejes, 15 may. - Klatt, C. V. (1995): Space VLBI Orbit Reconstruction, Ph.D. Thesis, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada, August. - Kulkarni, M.N. (1992): A Feasibility Study of Space VLBI for Geodesy and Geodynamics. Report No. 420, Dept. of Geodetic Science and Surveying, The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, Ohio, June. - Kulkarni, M.N. and J. dm (1993): A Sensitivity Analysis for Orbit Determination of Space VLBI Satellites for Interconnection of Reference Frames. Acta Geod. Geoph. Mont. Hung., Vol. 28(3-4), pp. 441-456(1993). - NRO (1989): Proc. of Workshop on the Research in SVLBI, Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO), Tokyo Astro. Obsy., Univ. of Tokyo, Japan, March 14-15. - Wiercigroch, A.B., J.S. Ulvestad, Y. Murata, P.G. Edwards (1996): VSOP Operational Activities, U.S. Space VLBI Project, JPL, USA, and VSOP, ISAS, Japan, March. - Zheng, Y. (1992): The Application of Space VLBI for Astrometry, Geodynamics and Space Physics (in Chinese). Ph.D. Thesis, Shanghai Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, August. - Zheng, Y. (1995): The Research for VLBI Software and Astrogeodynamics (in Chinese), Postdoctoral Subject Report, Nanjing Unuversity, China, June. - Zheng, Y. (1997): SPVK Users Guide, Z. Z. Institute of Surveying & Mapping, China, May.

TABLE 2: VSOP GEODESY DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT GEDEX : PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS

S. No.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Name
I. Fejes, Principal Investigator J. Adam P. Charlot S. Frey N. Kawaguchi Z. H. Qian H. Schuh

Organization / Country
FMI Satellite Geodetic Observatory, Hungary T. U. Budapest, Hungary Paris Observatory, France FMI Satellite Geodetic Observatory, Hungary NAO, Japan Shanghai Observatory, China DGFI, Mnchen, Germany

(A) INVESTIGATORS:

(B) INVOLVED BY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:

1 2 3 4 5 6 P. H. Andersen M. N. Kulkarni W. Cannon E. Fomalont C. Klatt N. Zarraoa NRDE, Norway Survey of India, Dehradun, India ISTS, Canada NRAO, USA / ISAS, Japan ISTS, Canada DLR, Germany

(C) GEDEX WORKING GROUP:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I. Fejes, S. Frey, G. Heitler J. Adam Sz. Mihaly M. N. Kulkarni Y. Zheng X. Hu B. Kampes FMI Satellite Geodetic Observatory, Hungary T. U. Budapest, Hungary FMI, Budapest, Hungary Survey of India, Dehradun, India Zheng Zhou Institute for Surveying & Mapping, China Centre for Astro-Geodynamic Research, Shanghai, China T. U. Delft, The Netherlands

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TABLE 3 : GEDEX USER REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Input data ID Requirement UR01 delay and delay rate data on ground VLBI baselines UR02 delay and delay rate data on ground-to-space VLBI baselines UR03 delay and delay rate data on space-to-space VLBI baselines UR04 two-way range rate (Doppler) data UR05 one-way range rate (Doppler) data UR06 two-way range data UR07 one-way range data UR08 difference of range (DOR) data UR09 VSOP satellite state vectors from GPS measurements UR10 VSOP orbit data in NAIF SPICE SPK format UR11 ITRF ground VLBI station coordinates (x, y, z) UR12 ITRF ground tracking station coordinates (x, y, z) UR13 ICRF radio source coordinates (RA, Dec) UR14 atmospheric parameters at ground VLBI stations (temperature, pressure, humidity) UR15 cable calibrations at ground VLBI stations UR16 radio source flux densities (signal amplitudes) UR17 initial ERP set 3.2. Output Data UR31 improved EOP and ERP set UR32 improved satellite orbital parameters for VSOP UR33 improved ground VLBI station coordinates UR34 improved tracking station coordinates UR35 improved source coordinates UR36 geocenter position correction UR37 clock parameters UR38 tropospheric delay parameters UR39 low-order harmonics of the Earth gravitational field 3.3 Processing UR51 IERS96 compatible physical models to be used UR52 Kalman filter to be applied for data processing 3.4.Operating environment UR61 the processing software shall be used in IBM PC DOS environment UR62 the processing software shall be used in SUN UNIX environment 3.5. Interfaces UR71 automatic file transfer from/to the relevant data centers using ftp via Internet UR72 local data base for input and output files UR73 software interfaces to convert input/output data formats to/from the internal format used in the processing software 3.6. User interfaces UR81 user friendly graphical interface Priority high high low high high medium low low high high high high high low low low high high high high high high high low low low high high high high

high high high

low

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