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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
A detailed study of the Hipparcos attitude exposed events in the satellite’s motion(micro-meteorite hits and clanks) that require special adaptations in the attitudereconstruction modelling. Identifying these events in the data stream, and incorporatingthem in a specially designed dynamical attitude modelling, has led to an overall reductionin the attitude reconstruction noise from 3 mas down to 0.6 mas. Considering that the mainnoise contribution on the astrometric data for stars brighter than magnitude 8 in theHipparcos catalogue originated from the attitude reconstruction, and that this noise ledto correlated parallax errors for neighbouring stars, it was decided to redo theastrometric reductions of the Hipparcos data. This was completed in 2007, and resulted inthe publication of a new catalogue. The lesson to be learnt for Gaia is, thatincorporating a detailed understanding of the satellite’s motions in the attitudemodelling can have a significant impact on the overall reliability of the finalastrometric data produced by the mission.