The status and perspective of the space VLBI Geodesy Demonstration Experiment (GEDEX)

Abstract

The Space VLBI Geodesy Demonstration Experiment (GEDEX) was designed to apply space VLBI delay and delay rate data for orbit reconstruction of the space VLBI satellite HALCA and to demonstrate, how to tie the Celestial Reference Frame to the Terrestrial Reference Frame directly using only space VLBI and tracking data. Software developments for these aims are being carried out by different groups in different countries. The effort is coordinated by the Satellite Geodetic Observatory in Hungary. The VSOP Survey Programme provides the observational basis for the experiment.