The GENESIS mission will contribute to a highly improved International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) with an accuracy of 1 mm and a long-term stability of 0.1 mm/year. The ITRF is the foundation for all space and ground-based observations in navigation and Earth sciences – monitoring the terrestrial environment and setting it within a set framework for mapping changes over time.

This flying observatory will carry instruments to measure Earth with the main geodetic techniques (very-long-interferometry, satellite laser ranging and satellite navigation). An ultra-stable oscillator on board will ensure the instruments are synchronised and cross-calibrated, to determine biases inherent to each technique, allowing to correct them for superior precision.

GENESIS is one of two missions of the newly approved ESA Optional Programme at CM22, called FutureNAV. Find more information on FutureNAV here.