Contributions to the National Geodetic Satellite Program by Goddard Space Flight Center

The major scientific contributions of Goddard Space Flight Center to the National Geodetic Satellite Program between 1965 and 1973 are presented and discussed. The primary results described are the determination of the earth's gravitational field from satellite tracking and surface gravimeter data to an accuracy of about 4 mGal for wavelengths of about 1000 km and larger; the construction of a detailed geoid suitable for geodetic, tectonic, and altimetry data analysis accurate to about 2 m over continents and to 2-5 m over the northeast Pacific and Atlantic oceans; and the positioning of globally distributed tracking stations to an accuracy of 5-10 m for the interconnecting of local geodetic datums. In addition, work on the observation of the earth and ocean tidal perturbations of satellites is discussed and reviewed.