Page - (000009) - in Contributions to GRACE Gravity Field Recovery - Improvements in Dynamic Orbit Integration, Stochastic Modelling of the Antenna Offset Correction, and Co-Estimation of Satellite Orientations

Acknowledgements Without the help, guidance, encouragement, and support of the people surrounding me this work would not have been possible, and I am deeply thankful to them. First and foremost my sincere gratitude is directed at my supervisor, Prof. Torsten Mayer-Gu¨rr. I want to thank him for always having an open door and helpful advice, andforallowingmethespace to followmyowninterestsandintuitions in this research. I could not have asked for a better supervisor. I also want to express my thankfulness to my external examiner, Prof. Nico Sneeuw, for his efforts in reviewing this thesis. Further, I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues at the working group. First and foremost thank you to my office mate Andreas, for always being willing to bounce ideas back and forth, your helpful criticisms, and sharp mind. Thank you Sebastian, for having my back during the final months of writing this thesis. To Bianca, thank you for always guiding me when I was in danger of getting lost in the bureaucracy. To them and all other colleagues present and past: I want to say thank you for an always stimulating, pleasant, and fun working environment, and of course all of the refreshing breaks at the foosball table. I will miss you. A large thank you is owed to my family. To my parents for instilling scientific curiosity and a sense of adventure in me, for giving me a start in life that allowed me to reach this milestone. To my siblings for always being there when I needed them. Finally, I want to especially thank the two people most important to me throughout these years in Graz. Thank you Thomas, for all your friendship and support. Thank you Heather, for your sacrifices, for everything. Thank you. iii n