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Abstract

The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) is a collaborative contribution of the global Geodesy community to the observation and monitoring of the Earth System. Geodesy is the science of determining the shape of the Earth, its gravity field, and its rotation as functions of time. Essential to reaching this goal are stable and consistent geodetic reference frames, which provide the fundamental layer for the determination of time-dependent coordinates of points or objects, and for describing the motion of the Earth in space. The geodetic observation and analysis infrastructures as well as the high-quality geodetic products provide the foundation for Earth and planetary system sciences and applications. GGOS endeavors to facilitate and enable production and sharing of the Earth observations needed to monitor, map, and understand changes in the Earth’s shape, rotation, and mass distribution. GGOS also advocates the global geodetic frame of reference as the fundamental backbone for measuring and consistently interpreting global change processes as well as the essential geospatial infrastructure to ensure a homogeneous and sustainable development worldwide. GGOS closely works with its parent organization, the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), especially its components, the Services, t Commissions, Inter-Commission Committees and dedicated Projects to keep these fundamental geodetic contributions sustainable. Additionally, GGOS supports the IAG by strengthening external and interdisciplinary relations and contributions to the broader community, including the Group on Earth Observations GEO and relevant United Nations groups, in particular UN-GGIM Subcommittee on Geodesy and the new UN Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence.