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| /__\ /__` '__\    /__` |__) | /  ` |__     /__` |__  |__) \  / | /  ` |__   |
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Welcome to the operational Gaia SPICE Kernel Dataset
============================================================

     This directory contains the SPICE kernels Dataset generated for the
     gaia mission.

     See more details in:

       https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/spice

     For more information on SPICE for ESA Planetary Missions, please go to

       http://spice.esac.esa.int

     For information on SPICE, please go to

       https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov

     For any question or suggestion on this site, please contact:

       Marc Costa Sitja,       marc.costa@esa.int
       ESA SPICE Service,      esa_spice@sciops.esa.int


Content of this directory
--------------------------------------------------------

     Each subdirectory within this directory contains all the kernels of
     the same type that have been generated for the Gaia Mission.

        ck:       Kernels that contain orientation for the spacecraft and
                  some of its structures, (solar arrays, for instance).

        dsk:      Kernels that contain files contain detailed shape models
                  for extended objects (solar system bodies or spacecrafts
                  for instance).

        fk:       Kernels that define reference frames needed for the
                  Mission.

        ik:       Kernels for the instruments on board the spacecraft.

        lsk:      Leapseconds kernel.

        mk:       Meta-kernel files (a.k.a "furnsh" files) that provide
                  lists of kernels suitable for a given mission period.

        pck:      Kernels that define planetary constants.

        sclk:     Spacecraft clock coefficients kernels.

        spk:      Orbit kernels, for the spacecraft and other solar system
                  bodies.


     Please refer to the aareadme.txt in each of the subdirectories for
     information on the contents for the specific type of kernels and the
     corresponding naming conventions.


Usage of the SPICE Kernels for Gaia
--------------------------------------------------------

     At least a basic knowledge of the SPICE system is needed in order to
     use these kernels. The SPICE toolkit provides versions in Fortran
     (SPICELIB), C (CSPICE), IDL (icy), Matlab (mice) and Python (SpiceyPy),
     and the user can choose any one that suits him/her.

     The SPICELIB routine FURNSH, CSPICE function furnsh_c, icy routine
     cspice_furnsh and SpiceyPy routine furnsh load a kernel file into the
     kernel pool as shown below.

        CALL FURNSH  ( 'kernel_name' )
        furnsh_c     ( "kernel_name" );
        cspice_furnsh, 'kernel_name'
        cspice_funsh( 'kernel_name' );
        spiceypy.furnsh( 'kernel_name' )

     In the case when two or more files contain data overlapping in time
     for a given object, for binary kernels, the file loaded last takes
     precedence.

     If two (or more) text kernels assign value(s) using the '=' operator
     to identical keywords, the data value(s) associated with the last
     loaded occurrence of the keyword are used -all earlier values have
     been replaced with the last loaded value(s).


-------------------

     This file was last modified on November 18th, 2019 by Marc Costa Sitja.


End of aareadme file.