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concepts of Up: I. Introduction
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to Space
GEODESY is the science of the measurement and mapping of the earth's surface, including gravity field and ocean floor.
The origin of geodesy is in the surveying (Egyptians, greeks, romans,..., triangulation and trilateration by Snell, anb by Picard and Cassini at larger scales).
Navigation -still more difficult, surverying in movement- become an important and still more difficult activity (empires in the XV to XVIII century, longitude determination, astronomical and timing approaches).
SATELLITE GEODESY comprises the observational and computational techniques which allow the solution of geodetic problems by the use of precise measurements to, from or between artificial satellites.
SPACE GEODESY is the geodesy by mean of satellites, moon, planets, radio stars and quasars.
We are going to work in satellite geodesy. Its basic problems are:
1) Determination of precise global, regional and local 3-D coordinates (i.e. Global Positioning System, GPS), i.e. satellite-based positioning
2) Earth's gravity field.
3) Measuring and modelling of geodynamical phenomena (polar motion, earth rotation, crustal deformation) -i.e. GPS-.