EU urged China to fully participate in Galileo space pro

EU urged China to fully participate in Galileo space project
Fri Jul 1, 1:04 PM ET

BEIJING (AFP) - The EU urged China to fully participate in the development of a future satellite navigation system called Galileo which aims to rival the United States' global positioning system.

European Commission vice-president Jacques Barrot, also the commissioner responsible for transport, said China should be fully represented in the project after Galileo recently began negotiations to construct the system.

"China should remain part of the Galileo project until the end," he said at the first China-EU Summit on aviation, adding he was delighted by the "strategic partnership which is starting to take shape with China."

China has agreed to sign seven contracts with the EU to participate in Galileo and has committed itself to a 200-million-euro (241-million-dollar) investment in the project, which has an estimated final cost of 3.5 billion euros.

Last Monday a consortium made up of the European Aerospace Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Thales, and another consortium of Alcatel and Finmeccanica said they were ready to start negotiations on a contract to develop the system.

The Galileo Joint Undertaking, a public company set up by the European Commission and the European Space Agency, chose the two consortia after they dropped competing bids for the contract in May in order to make a combined offer.

Barrot said he wanted China to be part of the control body which is set to replace Galileo Joint Undertaking.

The EU says the globe-girdling satellites will enable the development of new services in areas such as transport, the environment, agriculture and fisheries that are eventually expected to cover the running costs of the system, estimated at 220 million euros.

Barrot said China's investment would ensure it was among the first users of the system which will consist of 30 satellites, the first to be launched by the end of this year.

China's participation in Galileo would ensure it was well placed to enjoy the benefits of the programme when it hosted the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 World Fair in Shanghai, he said.

Barrot also invited China to become a priority partner in SESAME, the modernisation programme for European air traffic control infrastructure.

news.yahoo.com.../afp/20050701/sc_afp/chinaeuspace_050701170424

I think we europeans should keep independance on this project, but if we are the ones that can cut off china if needed, then I'd agree with this.

[edit on 3-7-2005 by Wodan]

This to me means one of two things, one the EU is wiling to partner with china just to rival or feel like they are rivaling the US at this. Or two they want to develop it as a joint partnership to perhaps have more control of what china uses.

I don't think the EU would have that much of infulence on China even if it cuts off China in a scenario, since Beidou-2 is already out. With Chinese help, it will be a win-win situation, the Europeans get more funding and the Chinese get to know how other countries operate GPSes.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
This to me means one of two things, one the EU is wiling to partner with china just to rival or feel like they are rivaling the US at this. Or two they want to develop it as a joint partnership to perhaps have more control of what china uses.

This is not "just to rival the US". Galileo will be a. a full civilian controlled installation (as opposed to the miitary GPS); b. it will be independent from an eventual encryption of GPS satellites for reasons of military conflicts; c. it will be more accurate, especially in northern Europe; d. it will provide a lot better accuracy to end-users due to no restrictions for "safety" reasons like GPS has.

If the Chinese participated, they would gain vauable experince. This is directly related to the Chinese being more proficent at making and operating GPSes like the Beidou-2.

This is not "just to rival the US". Galileo will be a. a full civilian controlled installation (as opposed to the miitary GPS);

The GPS is used by civilians all over the world, its owned the USAF and can be shut down for military use it they wanted to but its availed for anyone.

b. it will be independent from an eventual encryption of GPS satellites for reasons of military conflicts; c. it will be more accurate, especially in northern Europe; d. it will provide a lot better accuracy to end-users due to no restrictions for "safety" reasons like GPS has.

In 2001 the military increased the accuracy for civilian use from 3 meters square to 1 meter square.

Originally posted by WestPoint23

This is not "just to rival the US". Galileo will be a. a full civilian controlled installation (as opposed to the miitary GPS);

The GPS is used by civilians all over the world, its owned the USAF and can be shut down for military use it they wanted to but its availed for anyone.

Well that exactly is the problem. As it is, GPS has a monopoly since there are no working contenders (Russian GLONASS being almost inoperable due to lack of satellites, the same with the Chinese Beidou solution). And it is operated by an institution that can not be held responsible in case of no service since it denies a guarantee for functioning. Furthermore this institution is subject to political decisions.

So whoever has the hand on the button can render the whole GPS useless with only one order from above. This is not desirable by everyone expect those that have the hand on this button. Estimated monetary losses in the EU in case of a general GPS denial of service are from 130-500 Mio. € PER DAY. Apart from this service monopoly, there is only a limited number of (of course US) companies that are allowed to produce the GPS decoder chips.

b. it will be independent from an eventual encryption of GPS satellites for reasons of military conflicts; c. it will be more accurate, especially in northern Europe; d. it will provide a lot better accuracy to end-users due to no restrictions for "safety" reasons like GPS has.

In 2001 the military increased the accuracy for civilian use from 3 meters square to 1 meter square.

Your figure is not correct for the public service.

Global average for GPS service (figure 3-6, page 21 of Department of Defense Factsheet, this document is about as official as it can get)

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