HartRAO Space Geodesy Home Page

The HartRAO Space Geodesy Programme

Participant in Solid Earth Science using VLBI, GPS and SLR

Figures: The topo map on the left is adapted from NASA GSFC. The map depicts the regional GPS network which is processed by HartRAO for crustal dynamics studies. The GPS satellite (Block IIF) image is borrowed from the USAF and the laser system image is from SGAPO (Space Geodesy and Altimetry Projects Office). The HartRAO 26 m antenna is shown illuminated by floodlights.

Welcome to the home page of the Space Geodesy Programme at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) located North of Johannesburg in South Africa. The Space Geodesy Programme participates in global networks which uses applications of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and the Global Positioning System (GPS) to do research in geodesy. HartRAO is an IGS Regional Data Center, (GPS Data Sets, Products & IGS log files) can be downloaded from here. HartRAO operates an SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging) system (MOBLAS-6) in collaboration with GSFC, Washington. Having three main space geodesy techniques located on the same site positions HartRAO to play an important role in international space geodesy networks. This collocation makes HartRAO a true fiducial site.

HartRAO has installed 5 International GPS Service (IGS) GPS stations. SUTH is located at the site of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) which is about 20 km from Sutherland, a small town in a semi-desert region called the Karoo. HRAO has been installed at HartRAO. Both stations are proper geodetic installations and meet the requirements of the IGS. The equipment is owned by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). RBAY is collocated with a tide gauge at RichardsBay and is the first IGS station in Africa which permanently monitors a tide gauge site position. The data from these stations are available on the internet or can be accessed from this site from a local workstation. A fourth station (NAMI) was installed in Windhoek, Namibia during November 1998 and will become an IGS station later in 2001. We have also installed a permanent station (SIMO) at a tide gauge site in Simonstown, in cooperation with the SA Navy, the l Institute for Maritime Technology, UCT (Department of Geomatics) and JPL. SIMO is operational since 26 July 2001. ZAMB was installed on 28 March 2002 in Lusaka, Zambia.

NEWS: The official inauguration of MOBLAS-6 took place on 20 November 2000. During the day there was a workshop to discuss the SLR technique and present some of the scientific achievements which SLR has contributed to. MOBLAS-6 was dedicated officially by Minister Ngubane, the minister of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. The brochure on MOBLAS-6 and the Geodesy Programme which was handed out during the day of dedication can be downloaded here as a PDF file MOBLAS-6. The HartRAO MOBLAS6 website can be found here.

MARION ISLAND DXPEDITION and SCIENTIFIC PROJECT

The Space Geodesy Programme currently participates in the following projects:

The programme is also engaged in the following geodetic research, utilising GPS:

Footprint, to determine local crustal and monument stability
Collocation of different reference points and geodetic techniques
Precise timing using GPS and a Hydrogen MASER
Studying and eliminating short term site specific errors for GPS installations
The measurement of short-term (~2 hours) small (mm/hr) motions
Crustal deformation in southern Africa, using a regional network (see regional network map, adapted from the IGS Central Bureau world map), processed using GAMIT.

Geodesy
Index

GPS Data Sets, Products & IGS log files

ITRF96 Coordinates (GPS)

GPS

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since 19 February 1999

This page last updated: 17 August 2001