=============================================================================
MEX FK Files
=============================================================================

  Last Update: 12 MAY 2006

  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 FK kernels, and it provides identification of the most
  current version of each kind of FK file.

  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.

  All FK files (*.TF) contained in this directory are unix text
  files. These may be used in a non-compatible text environment by using the
  ASCII mode of FTP to port the files. [Ref 2a]

  Contact Jose Luis Vazquez (jlvazquez@sciops.esa.int) or Joe Zender 
  (Joe.Zender@esa.int) if you have any questions.

=============================================================================
References
=============================================================================

  1. Frames Required Reading. NAIF Document No. 349.06  30 Jul 2003 

  2. Selected SPICE Tutorials from the NAIF server:
ftp://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/Tutorials/office/individual_docs/
       
       a) Porting Kernels Tutorial     09_porting_kernels.ppt
       b) FK Tutorial                  18_fk.ppt
  
  3. NAIF IDs Required Reading. NAIF Document No. 219.12  30 Jul 2003

=============================================================================
Mars Express FK Directory Structure
=============================================================================
  aareadme.txt        Text file describing the directory structure, the naming
                      conventions for the FK, and the current version(s) of
                      each FK type.

  former_versions     Subdirectory that contains obsolete versions of the FK
                      files that have been updated in the Current FK Kernel
                      Set.

=============================================================================
MEX Frame Kernel Naming Convention                                MEX_Vxx.TF
=============================================================================

      token           description
      ---------       -------------------------------------------------------
      xx              Version Number

=============================================================================
DSN Stations Frame Kernel Naming Convention             EARTH_TOPO_yymmdd.TF
=============================================================================

      token           description
      ---------       -------------------------------------------------------
      yymmdd          Release date.

=============================================================================
ESA Generic Frame Definition Kernel Naming Convention            RSSDxxxx.TF 
=============================================================================

       token        description
       ---------    -------------------------------------------------------
       xxxx         Version number. This is the standard naming convention
                    for ESA generic frame definitions kernel. 


=============================================================================
Current FK Kernels Set
=============================================================================

  Name                  Comments
  ------------------    ------------------------------------------------------
  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.

  RSSD0001.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).