Galileo Funded, Filled Out, Held Off
All 17 participating European Union member states provided their extra share of money in time for the European Space Agency’s August 24 deadline, even though Galileo’s E1.1 billion in-orbit validation phase went €400 million over budget. The European Commission earlier pledged €200 million towards the funding gap and now ESA member states have agreed to provide the remaining €200 million. The largest contributors are the UK, Germany, Italy and France, each at a 16.9 percent share.
South Korea Inks On. The European Union signed South Korea to the Galileo project, in Helsinki on September 9 at a EU-South Korea summit.
The two parties will cooperate on radio spectrum, scientific research and training, industrial matters, trade and market development, standards, certification and regulatory measures, ground augmentation systems, security, liability and cost recovery.
China Barges In. China registered with the International Telecommunication Union its intent to use frequencies close to Galileo’s — perhaps in retaliation for the European refusal to admit China into senior Galileo management.
According to speculation, China seeks to participate in the program in order to launch Galileo satellites on its Long March boosters and to learn how to build its own space-based positioning, navigation, and timing system. The Chinese also wish to manufacture commercial Galileo receivers for a potentially lucrative market.
Purportedly for military and security reasons, the Europeans decided not to promote China to full Galileo membership. China’s regional Beidou system, while suited for guiding long-range missiles, lacks the multi-faceted aspects, both military and commercial, of GPS, GLONASS, and, eventually, Galileo. China now has a broader global satnav system, dubbed Compass, on its drawing boards.
Giove-B in 2007. Galileo’s second test satellite will not launch this fall as scheduled, but will wait until early 2007, after a short circuit occurred during final testing in Italy.
[via gpsworld.com]
