Europe comes closer to its own GPS

[webfact]

Europe comes closer to its own GPS

Catherine Hardy

 

 

Europe has launched four more Galileo satellites.

 

It is the first time it has sent so many satellites up at once.

 

It also brings the continent a step closer to having its own satellite navigation system. 

 

Europe’s “GPS”

 

The satellites blasted off aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana.

They will be a part of the EU’s alternative to the US Global Positioning System or GPS.

 

Are they always launched with an Ariane rocket?

 

No.

 

Thursday’s launch was the first time that a European Ariane 5 rocket was used to send Galileo satellites to their orbit, which is around 24,000 kilometres above the Earth.

 

Previously, it has been a Russian Soyuz.

 

Two further Ariane 5 flights are planned for Galileo during the next two years.

 

How many satellites are up there now?

 

The launch brings the number of Galileo satellites in orbit to 18.

 

The planned total is 30, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

 

Describe one for me

 

They weigh around 700 kilos – slightly bigger than the average horse.

 

They are equipped with antennae and sensors and are powered by two 5-square-metre solar wings.

 

The Galileo programme

 

The programme has suffered some setbacks since the EU decided to push ahead with it 16 years ago.

 

There have been delays, financing problems, two satellites being put into the wrong orbit and questions about whether Europe really needs a rival system to GPS.

 

The EU aims to use Galileo to tap into the global market for satellite navigation services.

 

It is estimated they will be worth 250 billion euros by 2022.

 

When will the service be up-and-running?

 

Galileo is to start offering an initial service in the coming weeks.

 

Come 2020, when all the satellites are due to be in orbit, the system will allow users to determine their position more accurately than GPS alone.

 

It will also help in search and rescue missions.

 

Russia and China have also launched their own global positioning systems to underpin their defence industries and civilian commerce.

 

Get live updates from the launch and orbit here

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-11-18

[JAG]

"Comes closer" is an unfortunate phrase when talking about a rival for GPS, especially if we think about potential accuracy ( two satellites in the wrong orbit...).

 

The EU is spending a very large amount of money on a totally unnecessary system which is essentially a means of boosting the French national ego - a phenomenon normally in little need of boosting!

 

Still, won't be our (UK) problem soon.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, JAG said:

"Comes closer" is an unfortunate phrase when talking about a rival for GPS, especially if we think about potential accuracy ( two satellites in the wrong orbit...).

 

The EU is spending a very large amount of money on a totally unnecessary system which is essentially a means of boosting the French national ego - a phenomenon normally in little need of boosting!

 

Still, won't be our (UK) problem soon.

Isn't the current system controlled by the US government/military?

While another system might be redundant, it would be controlled independently by the EU that might have a competitive or conflicting use than US dictates. Though it raises the question of whether UK would retain partnership in Galileo when it officially exits the EU.

 

I also understand that one of the major investors in Galileo is China, known for hacking anything that gives it an economic/military advantage. One of the reasons the US opposed the system if hardware/software originated from China or if system could be planted with a backdoor.

[Mosha]

The European Space Agency is not run by the EU, and even if it is they could have same sort off association Canada does.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[ilostmypassword]

6 hours ago, JAG said:

"Comes closer" is an unfortunate phrase when talking about a rival for GPS, especially if we think about potential accuracy ( two satellites in the wrong orbit...).

 

The EU is spending a very large amount of money on a totally unnecessary system which is essentially a means of boosting the French national ego - a phenomenon normally in little need of boosting!

 

Still, won't be our (UK) problem soon.

On the contrary. Right now, the U.S. controls this system and can degrade it's capacity at will. In fact, except for those it allows special access to, the system isn't offered at full resolution. So they can offer a system with more attractive features in a rapidly expanding market.  Why should the Europeans be beholden to the US?  Just because the UK has been a lapdog to the USA doesn't mean that most of Europe should follow suit.

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, Mosha said:

The European Space Agency is not run by the EU, and even if it is they could have same sort off association Canada does.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk
 

The ESA is dominated by France and Germany financially, who could with UK Brexit decide to shift some projects away from British companies to ones that reside within EU member states.

 

In particular might be Galileo GPS System. Non-EU member Norway participates in the ESA through a special treaty. A similar treaty might be necessary to keep Britain's electronics contractors involved in the same project when it exits the EU.

http://www.businessinsider.com/brexit-esa-funding-effect-2016-6

 

[jaidam]

This is chilling news, coming as it does on reports that there are smartphone apps that use GPS systems to guide your own built-at-home guided missile systems, you know, the ones the armed forces and ISIS like to use to such deadly effect. Surely banning GPS would be a step in the right direction not ever roll it out. In the old days we used to use a funny thing called a map. Caused some havoc when the passenger couldnt read it properly but not a life threatening situation.

[impulse]

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Isn't the current system controlled by the US government/military?

While another system might be redundant, it would be controlled independently by the EU that might have a competitive or conflicting use than US dictates.

 

Given 2000 years of Euro history, I wonder who gets the keys to the system when France and Germany and the UK and the Vatican and.... go at each other again like they have a hundred times before (albeit with a short and apparently fragile US facilitated hiatus over the past 60 years).

 

That American system may look pretty good.

Edited November 18, 2016 by impulse

[ilostmypassword]

8 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Given 2000 years of Euro history, I wonder who gets the keys to the system when France and Germany and the UK and the Vatican and.... go at each other again like they have a hundred times before (albeit with a short and apparently fragile US facilitated hiatus over the past 60 years).

 

That American system may look pretty good.

The Vatican? Really?

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

The Vatican? Really?

 

The Pope has figured into dozens of bloody Euro wars over the centuries.  (Edit: not to mention complicit in the escape of a lot of Nazi figures to S America after WWII)  Had I left out the Vatican, someone else would have asked why.  There's just no pleasing everyone.

Edited November 18, 2016 by impulse

[ilostmypassword]

22 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The Pope has figured into dozens of bloody Euro wars over the centuries.  (Edit: not to mention complicit in the escape of a lot of Nazi figures to S America after WWII)  Had I left out the Vatican, someone else would have asked why.  There's just no pleasing everyone.

I love the vagueness of "figured into." Of what European state can't that be said?  I, for one, want to know why you left out Lichtenstein.

[melvinmelvin]

10 hours ago, JAG said:

"Comes closer" is an unfortunate phrase when talking about a rival for GPS, especially if we think about potential accuracy ( two satellites in the wrong orbit...).

 

The EU is spending a very large amount of money on a totally unnecessary system which is essentially a means of boosting the French national ego - a phenomenon normally in little need of boosting!

 

Still, won't be our (UK) problem soon.

 

What, in your mind, makes Galileo totally unnecessary?

 

 

[jollyhangmon]

11 hours ago, JAG said:

"Comes closer" is an unfortunate phrase when talking about a rival for GPS, especially if we think about potential accuracy ( two satellites in the wrong orbit...).

 

The EU is spending a very large amount of money on a totally unnecessary system which is essentially a means of boosting the French national ego - a phenomenon normally in little need of boosting!

 

Still, won't be our (UK) problem soon.

 

No, not your problem.

Your problem will be continued dependency on Trumps and the likes he puts in office. But just bend over nicely, then it'll be fine, as it were.

As soon as up and running not EU's problem anymore fortunately.

No, not to your benefit either.

Unnecessary? Not.at.all. 

[JAG]

51 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

I love the vagueness of "figured into." Of what European state can't that be said?  I, for one, want to know why you left out Lichtenstein.

Let alone San Merino ? 

[JAG]

1 hour ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

What, in your mind, makes Galileo totally unnecessary?

 

 

It is a duplication .  The world uses GPS for a host of purposes, civil aviation and maritime navigation are only two of  many.

 

If the US were to switch it off it would impact on their own commercial and transport world as much as with anyone else . In the event of a major global conflict, with one side using weapon systems to destroy the others systems, Galileo would possibly last for 5 minutes longer than the US GPS.

 

It's a duplication ,  they've got one so we must have one, that's all.

[melvinmelvin]

There is also a pretty good Russian SATNAV/POS system in the offing.

 

 

[melvinmelvin]

33 minutes ago, JAG said:

It is a duplication .  The world uses GPS for a host of purposes, civil aviation and maritime navigation are only two of  many.

 

If the US were to switch it off it would impact on their own commercial and transport world as much as with anyone else . In the event of a major global conflict, with one side using weapon systems to destroy the others systems, Galileo would possibly last for 5 minutes longer than the US GPS.

 

It's a duplication ,  they've got one so we must have one, that's all.

 

(neither civil aviation nor maritime navigation is dependent on GPS or the likes, yet)

 

duplication?

 

that can be said about a host of things

why bother with developing Airbus in Europe, can just buy Boeings from US

why bother with developing Citroens and Mercedeses and Landrovers, can easily buy Fords and Chevys from the US

 

GPS is pretty old, it originates from the old Star Wars effort. Developing new stuff, like Galileo and the Russian bit

brings technological advances and new knowledge.

 

And of course, there are always some political aspects;

would you like Europe's access to "GPS" to be dependent on the whims and wishes of Bush (either your are with us or you are against us) and D. Trump?

Does that safeguard the interests of European Industry and European usage?

 

Agree that Galileo is costly stuff, very costly. Beneficial to France? Yes.

But bad for Europe? Don't think so.

 

[Gene1960]

There is also a pretty good Russian SATNAV/POS system in the offing.
 
 

Do you mean GLONASS GNSS?

[melvinmelvin]

28 minutes ago, Gene1960 said:

Do you mean GLONASS GNSS?

 

yes, the new one

 

(I guess most of the old birds have fallen down by now)