MEX FK SPICE Kernels                                                        
  ====================                                                        
                                                                              
                                                                              
  This "aareadme.txt" file describes the contents of the kernels/fk directory 
  of the MEX SPICE data server. It also provides the file naming conventions  
  used for the MEX CK files.                                                  
                                                                              
  All these FK files are produced manually with the information supplied by   
  Mars Express teams describing the frames for the spacecraft and its science 
  instruments. Some of these FK files (for tracking stations) are provide     
  specifically for the Radio Science investigation.                           
                                                                              
  The most detailed description of the data in an FK file is provided in      
  metadata included inside the description area of the file. This information 
  can be viewed using any text editor program.                                
                                                                              
  At least a basic knowledge of the SPICE system is needed in order to use    
  this kernels. The SPICE toolkit provides versions in Fortran (SPICELIB), C  
  (CSPICE), IDL (icy) and Matlab (mice), and the user can choose any one that 
  suits him/her.                                                              
                                                                              
  The SPICELIB routine FURNSH, CSPICE function furnsh_c, and icy and matlab   
  routine cspice_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_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) ).                                            
                                                                              
                                                                              
  All FK files (*.TF) contained in this directory are UNIX text files. These  
  may be downloaded to a different system (Mac OS, Windows) by using the ASCII
  mode of FTP.                                                                
                                                                              
  Contact                                                                     
                                                                              
        ESA SPICE Team       esa_spice@sciops.esa.int                                
                                                                              
  , or                                                                        
                                                                              
    Jose Luis Vazquez    jlvazquez@sciops.esa.int                             
                                                                              
  if you have any questions.                                                  
                                                                              
                                                                              
  References                                                                  
  ==========                                                                  
                                                                              
    1. Frames Required Reading (NAIF Document).                               
                                                                              
    2. NAIF IDs Required Reading (NAIF Document).                             
                                                                              
    All the NAIF Documents are available at the NAIF web:                     
                                                                              
      http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov                                                
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                              
  Mars Express FK Directory Structure                                         
  ===================================                                         
                                                                              
    aareadme.txt          This file.                                          
                                                                              
    former_versions       Subdirectory that contains obsolete versions of the 
                          FK files that have been updated in the Current FK   
                          Kernel Set.                                         
                                                                              
    EARTH_TOPO_yymmdd.TF  FK kernel for the topocentric reference frames for  
                          the Deep Space Network (DSN) stations. This kernel  
                          was released on yy-mm-dd.                           
                                                                              
    EARTHFIXEDIAU.TF      This kernel makes the IAU_EARTH frame coincide with 
                          the earth fixed reference frame.                    
                                                                              
    EARTHFIXEDITRF93.TF   This kernel makes the ITRF93 frame coincide with the
                          earth fixed reference frame.                        
                                                                              
    MEX_Vxx.TF            FK containing the complete set of frame definitions 
                          for the Mars Express Spacecraft (MEX) and Beagle-2  
                          Lander (BEAGLE2) including definitions for the MEX  
                          fixed and MEX science instrument frames and BEAGLE2 
                          fixed, and landing site local frames.               
                          This kernel also contains NAIF ID/name mapping for  
                          the MEX and BEAGLE2 instruments.                    
                                                                              
    NEW_NORCIA_TOPO.TF    FK kernel for the topocentric reference frame for   
                          the ESA 35m tracking antenna at New Norcia.         
                                                                              
    RSSDvvvv.TF           FK kernel defining a number of mission independent  
                          frames that could be used by any of the users of any
                          of the ESA planetary missions and that are not      
                          "built" in the SPICE toolkit. The following frames  
                          related to Mars are implemented: Mars Mean Equator  
                          of Date (MME), Mars-centric Solar Orbital of Date   
                          (MSO) and Mars Mean Equator of date J2000 (MME2000).
                                                                              
                                                                              
-------------------                                                           
                                                                              
        This file was last modified on March 4th, 2009. (J. Vazquez)