  We use a high-accuracy computational code to investigate the precision with
which cosmological parameters could be reconstructed by future cosmic microwave
background (CMB) experiments, in particular the two satellite missions MAP and
Planck Surveyor (COBRAS/SAMBA). We identify several parameter combinations that
could be determined with a few percent accuracy with MAP and the Planck
Surveyor, as well as some degeneracies among the parameters that cannot be
accurately resolved with the temperature data alone. These degeneracies can be
broken by other astronomical measurements. Polarization measurments can
significantly enhance the science return of both missions by allowing accurate
determination of cosmological parameters, by enabling the detection of gravity
waves and by probing the ionization history of the universe. We also address
the question of how gaussian the likelihood function is around the maximum and
whether gravitational lensing changes the constraints.
