McDonald Geodetic Observatory
The McDonald Geodetic Observatory (MGO) is a joint venture among the NASA Space Geodesy Project (SGP), the University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research, and the McDonald Observatory. MGO’s mission is to contribute to the global geodetic infrastructure by colocating multiple state-of-the-art geodetic instruments tied together by mm-level metrology. The data produced by MGO and its associated network of similar sites around the world are used to support the definition of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), measurement of the Earth Orientation Parameters, and satellite precision orbit determination.
MGO: For Science and Society
The data and products from MGO will be used to support a range of scientific and societal applications in areas such as Earth science; positioning, navigation, and timing; radio science information systems, education, and public outreach.
MGO Instrumentation
The scope of MGO – its instrumentation, measurement precision, and scientific analysis framework – is driven by the need to precisely monitor global and regional sea-level change and related areas.
Current Research Projects at MGO
Several research projects utilize and strengthen MGO. Ground-breaking research to improve its equipment and techniques help improve the accuracy of the mm-level metrology. Similarly, significant research is being undertaken to better understand the changes to the gravity load that may affect the MGO’s instrumentation.