Title: Geodesy, the foundations for a spatially enabled world

 

Abstract: Despite a history stretching back more than two millennia, the science of geodesy is relatively unknown. Geodesy measures Earth’s shape, its orientation in space, and its gravity field, and it is essential to a modern, spatially enabled society. Geometrical geodesy is used to define our terrestrial reference frames and consists of four techniques: Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), and Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS). Three of these are located on Mt Stromlo. In this talk, I will introduce Geoscience Australia’s Positioning Australia Program, which aims to provide 5cm accurate positioning with a mobile phone, and show how geodesy is fundamental to achieving this goal.