PDS_VERSION_ID          = PDS3
RECORD_TYPE             = STREAM

OBJECT                  = TEXT
   INTERCHANGE_FORMAT   = ASCII
   PUBLICATION_DATE     = 2008-07-29
   NOTE                 = "SP-Kernel Information"
END_OBJECT              = TEXT
                                                                     
END 

General information about SPICE SP-kernels
==========================================

   The purpose of the SP-kernel -- which stands for S(pacecraft) and
   P(lanet) Kernel -- is to allow ephemerides for any collection of
   solar system bodies, spacecraft or any other objects in 3D space
   to be combined under a common file format, and accessed by a common
   set of subroutines.
   
   SPK can be accessed by subroutines that are part of the SPICE
   library, the major component of the SPICE Toolkit. These subroutines
   can be integrated into user application programs. Information
   regarding how the Toolkit can be obtained is located in the SOFTWARE
   subdirectory of the main directory of this dataset.
   
   To use SP-kernels, a Leapseconds (LSK) is also required. To use
   SP-Kernels containing positions given relative to the non-inertial
   and project-defined frames, Frame Definitions Kernel (FK), Planetary
   Constants Kernel (PcK), and C-Kernel (CK) files are also required.
   
   Refer to the SPK.REQ document provided with the Toolkit to get more
   information on how to access SP-kernel data.


MER-2 SPK files provided in this directory 
======================================

   This directory contains the SPICE SPK files for the MER-2 rover. All
   files are in IEEE big endian binary format. The following files are
   present in this directory. (Only file names are shown; the file name
   extensions of the binary SPK files are always ".bsp"):

   MER-2 landing site, sites, and rover surface position SPK files:

         mer2_ls_040108_iau2000_v1   Landing site location SPK
                                     file based on the final
                                     post-landing Rover Position File
                                     (RPF) solution produced by MER
                                     Navigation Team.

         mer2_surf_rover_MMMM_vV     Rover and site position SPK
                                     files, for MMMM portion of the
                                     mission: ``prim'' -- primary
                                     mission, ``ext1'' -- first part of
                                     the extended mission, and so on.
                                     These files were generated from
                                     position data extracted from
                                     channelized telemetry and
                                     non-channelized telemetry
                                     products. The file with the latest
                                     version (vV) supersedes all files
                                     with earlier versions.
 
         mer2_surf_roverrl_MMMM_vV   Rover and site position SPK
                                     files, for MMMM portion of the
                                     mission: ``prim'' -- primary
                                     mission, ``ext1'' -- first part of
                                     the extended mission, and so on.
                                     These files were generated from
                                     position data extracted from
                                     channelized telemetry and
                                     non-channelized telemetry products
                                     and combined with the latest
                                     available at the time
                                     bundle-adjustment position input
                                     from Dr. Ron Li/OSU. The file with
                                     the latest version (vV) supersedes
                                     all files with earlier versions.

         mer2_rvr_rpf_YYMMDD         Rover surface position SPK
                                     files based on the Rover Position
                                     File (RPF) solutions produced by
                                     MERNAV. YYMMDD in the file name
                                     (YYMMDD) is the time when RPF file
                                     was released.

         mer2_still_at_ls_v1         Special rover surface position SPK
                                     file providing rover position as
                                     zero offset with respect to the
                                     landing site at all times. This
                                     file was used during operations by
                                     CHRONOS and other applications
                                     that were not sensitive to the
                                     local rover movements.
 
   MER-2 structures SPK file:

         mer2_surf_iddg_MMMM_vV      SPK files containing location of
                                     the Microscopic Imager (MI) touch
                                     point relative to the rover frame
                                     origin, for MMMM portion of the
                                     mission: ``prim'' -- primary
                                     mission, ``ext1'' -- first part of
                                     the extended mission, and so on.
                                     These were files generated from
                                     gravity-compensated position data
                                     extracted only from image
                                     telemetry products. The file with
                                     the latest version (vV) supersedes
                                     all files with earlier versions.

         mer2_struct_v10             SPK file containing fixed
                                     locations of rover structures and
                                     science instruments relative to
                                     the rover frame origin and each
                                     other.

   MER-2 Cruise SPK files:

         mer2_cruise                 Final reconstructed cruise
                                     trajectory SPK file produced by
                                     MERNAV.

   MER-2 EDL SPK files:

         mer2_edl_rcb_v1             Reconstructed EDL trajectory SPK
                                     file containing EDL trajectory
                                     solution by Robert C. Blanchard,
                                     (LARC-D205)[GWU], 2008.

   Solar System Bodies Ephemeris data SPK file:
   
         de410                       SPK file containing JPL's
                                     Planetary Ephemerides DE410.

   Satellite Ephemeris data SPK file:
   
         mar033_2000_2025            SPK file containing ephemerides
                                     for the Martian satellites Phobos
                                     and Deimos, and for the Sun,
                                     Earth, Moon and Mars.

Kernel File Details
===================

   The most detailed description of the data in each SPK file is provided 
   in metadata included inside the comment area of the file. This 
   information can be viewed using utility programs COMMNT and SPACIT 
   included in the SPICE Toolkit.
   

Contact Information
===================

   Regarding MER project specific information provided in this
   data set and for general information about SPICE system:
   
      Charles H. Acton, Jr, 
      (818)-354-3869, 
      Charles.Acton@jpl.nasa.gov, 
      
   or 
   
      Boris Semenov 
      (818)-354-8136 
      Boris.Semenov@jpl.nasa.gov
      
   or 
   
      Lee Elson
      (818)-354-4223 
      Lee.Elson@jpl.nasa.gov
      
   address:
   
      Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF)
      Jet Propulsion Laboratory
      MS 301-125L
      4800 Oak Grove Drive
      Pasadena CA 91109 USA 

