We are a working group Astrodynamics and space geodesy that belongs to the department of Galaxies at the Astronomical Institute (ASU) of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS). |
Our research originates from two classical branches of astronomy that evolved into numerous space techniques and applications. The first one includes dynamics of the artificial satellites that orbit planetary bodies and that collect a lot of information about that bodies. In this way we primarily study Earth's outer environment like the upper atmosphere, the gravitational and geomagnetic fields. We also pay attention to the problem of space debris. Our other topic originates from terrestrial space observation that for example contributes to star catalogues, our knowledge of the Earth's orientation parameters (EOPs), planetary rotation etc. We use the global gravitational field models of the Earth (but also those of Mars or the Moon) to characterize and identify near-surface structures (impact craters, paleolakes, hydrocarbons etc.) The group resides at two sites of ASU (in Prague and in Ondřejov - a small village 30 km far from Prague). People working on Earth's rotation & EOPs can be found in Prague while people from artificial satellites are mostly seen in Ondřejov. |