No subject

expect a new Global Data Center to be established in Korea by the Korea=
n
Astronomic Observatory based on a proposal to the Board that was approv=
ed last
year.

The IAG had recently gone through a significant restructuring placing s=
ervices
at the same level as the commissions.  IGS fully supports this new orga=
nization.
Further information on the IAG can be found at http://www.iag-aig.org/

IGS is engaged in the new IAG project chaired by the former chair of th=
e IGS,
Prof. Chris Reigber.  This project is GGOS ? Global Geodetic Observing =
System.
The IAG and GGOS are focusing on greatly improving the visibility of th=
e
geodetic systems as a fundamental requirement for the Global Earth Obse=
rving
System (GEO)  objectives and attempting to formulate a theme within the=
 IGOS
partnership. GGOS is just forming and as plans become more concrete you=
 will be
informed.

The IGS relations with BIPM continues to strengthen.  Ken Senior of the=
 Naval
Research Lab assumed in 2003 the role of IGS clock products coordinator=
 for the
joint IGS-BIPM time and frequency activity.  Dr. Felicitas Arias will j=
oin the
IGS GB as the BIPM-CCTF representative to the IGS, and Senior will reci=
procate
attending BIPM-CCTF meetings.

IGS Network Coordinator Dr. Angelyn Moore has done an excellent job in =
preparing
the IGS Site Guidelines and Site Checklist ? see
http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/network/netindex.html. She has also coordinat=
ed the
refocussing of IGSMail for major announcements relevant to the entire I=
GS
community, including product and data center announcements, new or disc=
ontinued
stations, as well as meeting and publication notices. IGSMail has been =
a key
mechanism for communications within the IGS since 1993 and there was an=
 interest
in separating the many detailed technical and day-to-day operational no=
tices
into a separate mail list.  These were split into a mail list called IG=
SStation
as of April 2004.

The IGS GB has contributed to the UN Action Team on GNSS since 2002. IG=
S was
fortunate to welcome Ken Hodgkins, Co-Chair of the UN GNSS Action Team,=
 to the
symposium. He provided a summary presentation of the team's activities =
and
recommendations to COPUOS.  The final report of the team is available t=
hrough
the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs (A/AC.105/C.1/L.274) or from the I=
GS
Central Bureau, with a key recommendation (supported by the IGS GB) tha=
t an
International Coordinating Committee on GNSS be established, bringing s=
ystem
providers and international user organizations together to facilitate
communications and coordination. Another key recommendation of the repo=
rt
strongly endorses the establishment of AFREF ? a continental reference =
systems
for Africa - long supported by the IGS and IAG, but to date moving slow=
ly due to
severe lack of resources and the difficulties faced by developing natio=
ns. (See
the symposium proceedings for more information.)

The GB is also in the process of revising the Terms of Reference (ToR) =
to better
reflect the evolving organization and the breadth of activities. The re=
vised ToR
should be complete by the end of 2004.  The Board continues to strive t=
o
implement the Strategic Plan, and will meet over the next year to revie=
w the
plan and revise it accordingly. The Plan is available at the IGS Websit=
e
maintained by the Central Bureau ? all publications can be viewed at
http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/pubs.html.

This summarizes the recent activities of the IGS and the Governing Boar=
d. To
quote Geoff Blewitt, "The success of the IGS is indicated by what it en=
ables."
The IGS could not do this without the efforts of each of you ? many tha=
nks for
your continued contribution and commitment to the IGS.  If you have any=

questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.


Yours sincerely,

John M. Dow



Acknowledgements and thanks to the following Committees
-------------------------------------------------------
   Scientific Program Committee,  IGS Workshop:
      Gerd  Gendt, Chair, ACC
      Angie  Moore , Co-chair, Network Coord.
      Robert  Weber Co-chair, former ACC
      Urs  Hugentobler
      Richard Langley
      Jim Ray
      Markus Rothacher
      Jim Zumberge
      Michael Meindl, Associate Member, Proceedings Editor

   IGS Symposium Committee:
      John Dow, Chair
      Norm Beck
      Gerhard Beutler
      Ruth Neilan, Co-chair
      Michael Meindl

   Local Organizing Committee, AIUB, University of Bern:
      Werner  Gurtner, Chair,
      Heike Bock
      Pierre Fridez
      Christine Gurtner
      Michael Meindl


   IGS Governing Board
   -------------------
=B7    John Dow/ESA/European Space Operations Centre, Germany/ Board Ch=
air,
Network Representative
=B7    Yoaz Bar-Sever/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Troposphere Workin=
g Group,
Chair
=B7    Norman Beck/Natural Resources Canada/Network Representative
=B7    Gerhard Beutler/University of Bern, Switzerland/IAG Representati=
ve
=B7    Geoff Blewitt/University of Nevada ? Reno, USA/IAG Representativ=
e
=B7    Henno Boomkamp/ESA/European Space Operations Center, Germany/LEO=
 Working
Group, Chair
=B7    Claude Boucher/Institut Geographique National, France/IERS Repre=
sentative
to IGS
=B7    tbd/tbd/IGS Representative to the IERS
=B7    Mark Caissy/Natural Resources Canada/Real-time Working Group, Ch=
air
=B7    Loic Daniel/Institut Geographique National, France/Data Center
Representative
=B7    Peng Fang/Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA/Analysis Repr=
esentative
=B7    Manuel Hernandez/Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain/Ion=
osphere
Working Group, Chair
=B7    Remi Ferland/Natural Resources Canada/IGS Reference Frame Coordi=
nator
=B7    Gerd Gendt/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Analysis Center=

Coordinator
=B7    Carey Noll/Goddard Space Flight Center, USA/Data Center Working =
Group,
Chair
=B7    Ruth Neilan/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Direct=
or of IGS
Central Bureau
=B7    David Pugh/Southampton Oceanography Centre, UK/President FAGS,
Representative
=B7    Christoph Reigber/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/Appointe=
d (IGS)
=B7    Chris Rizos/University of New South Wales, Australia/Appointed (=
IGS)
=B7    Markus Rothacher/Technical University of Munich, Germany/Analysi=
s
Representative
=B7    Tilo Schoene/GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany/TIGA Pilot Pr=
oject,
Chair
=B7    Ken Senior/Naval Research Laboratory, USA/IGS Clock Products Coo=
rdinator
=B7    Robert Serafin/National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA/App=
ointed
(IGS)
=B7    Jim Slater/National Imagery and Mapping Agency, USA/GLONASS Pilo=
t Project,
Chair
=B7    Robert Weber/Technical University of Vienna, Austria/GNSS Workin=
g Group,
Chair
=B7    Peizhen Zhang/China Seismological Bureau, Institute of Geology/A=
ppointed
(IGS)
=B7    Jim Zumberge/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA/Analysis Representat=
ive
=B7    Angelyn Moore/IGS Central Bureau, Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Boar=
d
Secretariat, Network Coordinator
=