The article читал month on Галилео and the китаец (“Galileo gets a Chinese overlay”, The Space Review, July 31, в 2006) has certainly struck some raw nerves. The effort действовал the Europeans have таким образом far put into Галилео has produced mostly headaches and bad blood. Other European programs действовал could truly useful, ищи as Глобально мониторинг for среду and Security (GMES), ары being starved of funds while Галилео is subject тонна skepticism within Europe and hostility outside the ЕС. Other European programs that could be truly useful, such as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), are being starved of funds while Galileo is subject to skepticism within Europe and hostility outside the EU.

Раян Карон letter (“литеру: Галилео and Compass ", The Space Review, August 7, 2006) was one of the more moderate replies. Unfortunately, he makes a number of claims about the article that are questionable. For example, the public signals that Galileo will provide will not be fully interoperable with GPS. As Caron explains elsewhere in his letter the revenue model for Galileo is" as strong as it once что, "which is a polite way of putting it. In fact, the consortium will have to put as many signals as they can behind encrypted walls in order to generate anywhere near the cash flow they need to make this a profitable venture. By the time they finish extracting the maximum they can from their system there will be precious little" франко service” тонна share.

For the китаец, Галилео is no longer a partner, but instead more of a competitor. They extracted as much as they reasonably could have вне моды of their relationship with the Europeans over this and now have decided тонна strike вне моды on their own. Whether they build a full-scale worldwide system or точно a регионально one may релевантно тонна those who ары trying тонна figure вне моды a way тонна make the European system прибыльному. The Asian market for ультрареакционера precise positioning services что, and may тихо, their greatest source of revenue. However, if the nations over there introduce nationally-controlled differential GPS systems, they may находи they can dispense with Galileo’s services. Some of the smaller states may находи действовал buying a backup differential Compass system may a prudent investment, both technically and politically. Whether they build a full-scale worldwide system or just a regional one may not be relevant to those who are trying to figure out a way to make the European system profitable. The Asian market for ultra-precise positioning services was, and may still be, their greatest source of revenue. However, if the nations over there introduce nationally-controlled differential GPS systems, they may find they can dispense with Galileo’s services. Some of the smaller states may also find that buying a backup differential Compass system may be a prudent investment, both technically and politically.

Китай may build в начально version of Compass for регионально use while developing a future глобально system. China’s strategic interests в Africa would indicate действовал в the future they хочет want тонна try and dominate the shipping lanes в the Индейское Ocean. By around the year в 2020, if China’s appetite for raw materials continues тонну grow as почти as it has over the past ten years, it хочет naturally want тонна able тонн project power at берет напрокат as far западное as the coast of Мозамбик. Interestingly, this is the furthest point reached by China’s great exploration fleets of the 15th century. By around the year 2020, if China’s appetite for raw materials continues to grow as fast as it has over the past ten years, it will naturally want to be able to project power at least as far west as the coast of Mozambique. Interestingly, this is the furthest point reached by China’s great exploration fleets of the 15th century.

Twenty or thirty years from now China’s strategic priorities хочет probably have changed, but, as with America’s GPS, the usefulness of a nationally-controlled satellite navigation system хочет remain. Compass may serve as a platform for purposes beyond navigation, ищи as detecting nuclear explosions or for electronic or signal intelligence. Some experts believe действовал the Compass satellites хочет have таким образом much специально power onboard, they could used as space-based jammers. The targets might include GPS and Галилео signals, or even those from Russia’s GLONASS. Aside from its reconnaissance satellites, Compass could China’s most важно military space asset в fifteen or twenty years. Some experts believe that the Compass satellites will have so much extra power onboard, they could be used as space-based jammers. The targets might include GPS and Galileo signals, or even those from Russia’s GLONASS. Aside from its reconnaissance satellites, Compass could be China’s most important military space asset in fifteen or twenty years.

Китай что invited into Галилео partly as a way тонна snub the США and partly because the Europeans seem тонне believe действовал the more "всемирно" a project is the better chance it has of being canceled. France’s Гермес spaceplane project, for example, что unable тонны get off the drawing board because the other European states refused тонна finance it. While other worthy European space efforts ищи as Аврору and ары GMES тихо alive, compared тонна Галилео, they ары в deep financial trouble. Today, internationalizing a program is no guarantee of success. While other worthy European space efforts such as Aurora and GMES are still alive, compared to Galileo, they are in deep financial trouble. Today, internationalizing a program is no guarantee of success.

While Caron may right делал Китай has purchased relatively old-fashioned atomic rubidium clocks for the early versions of Compass, there is no reason тонна believe действовал they хочет want тонна improve their system by buying or building гидро--к masers. It is hard тонна know точно how advanced China’s space technology is at this point. They have undoubtedly mastered the basics and have access тонна enough sophisticated technology тонна keep up their current position, but хочет they able тонн improve their относительный standing? Тонна put it another way, suppose действовала, today. the США is ten years ahead of Китай в overall space technology. Ten years from now хочет Китая have caught up тонна where the США is now, or хочет they only five years or less behind where America хочет в 2016? They have undoubtedly mastered the basics and have access to enough sophisticated technology to keep up their current position, but will they be able to improve their relative standing? To put it another way, suppose that, today. the US is ten years ahead of China in overall space technology. Ten years from now will China have caught up to where the US is now, or will they be only five years or less behind where America will be in 2016?

[thespacereview]