Abstract
Space VLBI offers the prospect of greatly increased angular resolution compared with Earth-bound observations. The central problems that may restrict the full application of space VLBI to astrometry and proper motion measurements probably will involve signal-to-noise (SNR) considerations and the accuracy of orbit (baseline) determinations. If SNR levels and baseline accuracies equivalent to those on the ground can be achieved, then a broad range of astrometric and proper motion studies will be possible. However, even with baseline accuracies significantly less accurate than achievable on the ground, relative proper motion studies of sources whose angular separation on the sky is small can still be advanced with space VLBI. Finally, the use of space VLBI for the measurement of proper motions of extragalactic H 2O masers is discussed.
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