Europe to offer an alternative to GPS

[FLO]

First Galileo satellite to be presented at ESA/ESTEC

Galileo, Europe’s novel satellite navigation system, is getting ready for launch, preparing the way for the delivery of a new and advanced global civil positioning service for the benefit of citizens in Europe and worldwide.

Galileo is a joint initiative of the European Commission and the European Space Agency. It is the first satellite positioning and navigation system specifically designed for civilian purposes and will offer state-of-the-art services with outstanding performance in terms of accuracy, integrity, continuity and availability.

The first two satellites in the Galileo constellation, two experimental trail-blazers dubbed GSTB-V2/A and GSTB-V2/B, are at an advanced stage of preparation, ready to make the first step (*) under the In-Orbit Validation phase of the Galileo programme.

http://tinyurl.com/cbb96

[Ant]

My views on this is that if we have GPS and it works well, and AGCP or whatever it's going to be called is going to dothe same thing - what the hell is the point in wasting all the money.

Ant

[FLO]

My views on this is that if we have GPS and it works well, and AGCP or whatever it's going to be called is going to do the same thing - what the hell is the point in wasting all the money.

Because GPS is American made and controlled. 

GPS was designed for the use of US armed forces, not the general public, which is why they deliberately vary its accuracy.  Mind you, with the current US involvement in the Gulf, GPS accuracy has been very high of late. 

Steve

[GazOC]

Didn't the USA get quiet 'snotty' when this was first announced?

[FLO]

Yes, understandably, it levels the playing field.