Galileo goes live: Europe’s long-delayed satellite navigation service starts service

[webfact]

Galileo goes live: Europe’s long-delayed satellite navigation service starts service

 

 

Galileo goes live. It took 17 years and cost around 10 billion euros, Europe’s answer to GPShas gone into operation with the launch of four more satellites from French Guyana.

 

It aims to produce the most accurate satellite navigation system in the world, with real-time positioning down to one metre or less, compared to the ten metre range of its American rival.

 

Euronews’ space expert Jeremy Wilks:

 

“Many will be saying that this is a case of better late than never for the Galileo satellite navigation system. When the contract was first signed it was due to completion in 2008, here we are at the end of 2016 and the services have finally begun. Something to underline with Galileo though is that its competitors, GPS and Glonass, the American and Russian versions are actually run by the military. Galileo is not only more accurate it’s also run by the European Commission which means that it’s civil and in that sense it has great strategic importance for Europe”.

 

The first services, free to users are limited to smartphones and car navigation units already fitted with Galileo-compatible microchips. But once it is fully operational with all 30 satellites in 2020, it will help in search and rescue operations, enable more accurate time synchronisation for banking and financial transactions, allow governments an encrypted service in times of national emergencies such as terrorist attacks and bring lucrative returns to European businesses ready to exploit its precision.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-12-16

[maoro2013]

The US version is much more accurate than stated, but it is deliberately made a bit less accurate for private users, it is accurate for the military. The few metres error is not really of much concern to the private user, I have used this as a navigation tool for a long time on my yachts, 10 metres is pretty much irrelevant.

[ardsong]

pure waste of money for the EU

Edited December 16, 2016 by ardsong

[arithai12]

42 minutes ago, ardsong said:

pure waste of money for the EU

Actually, it's money that goes back to EU industries and workforce, so not such a bad deal. And if it makes us less dependent on the Pentagon, it's quite welcome.

 

1 hour ago, maoro2013 said:

The US version is much more accurate than stated, but it is deliberately made a bit less accurate for private users, it is accurate for the military.

That's exactly the point.

[TPI]

If only they can keep the maps up to date, I'm sick of driving through fields instead of on the freeways, it's not a big ask!