Gaia: Astrometric performance and current status of the project

Abstract:
The scientific objectives of the Cain mission cover areas of galactic structure and evolution, stellar astrophysics, exoplanets, solar system physics, and fundamental physics. Astrometrically, its main contribution will be the determination of millions of absolute stellar parallaxes and the establishment of a very accurate, dense and faint non-rotating optical reference frame. With a planned launch in spring 2012, the project is in its advanced implementation phase. In parallel, preparations for the scientific data processing are well under way within the Cain Data Processing and Analysis Consortium. Final mission results are expected around 2021, but early releases of preliminary data, are expected. This review summarizes the main science goals and overall organisation of the project, the measurement principle and core astrometric solution, and provide an updated overview of the expected astrometric performance.