The EU set out 20 years ago to challenge the dominance of the US GPS system, but the Galileo project has been damaged by delays, infighting and cost overruns. Now the UK, a major contributor, may be on the way out.
The first Galileo satellite navigation services have been operational since 2016 and Europeans may soon have access to the world’s best geolocation system, with horizontal positioning accuracy of 1.8m (and a vertical accuracy of 2.9m) for the general public, compared to 4.9m for the current GPS (Global Positioning System). For specific applications it will be accurate within centimetres. Precision improves services in many fields: navigation for transport; controlling and tracking devices from autonomous vehicles and farm machinery to missiles; mapping; time synchronisation in telecom networks; and banking and finance systems, especially high-frequency transactions.
The European Commission began the project almost 20 years ago, and when the full constellation of 30 satellites is operational, in 2020 or 2021, Galileo will offer a free Open Service for the general public (the only one currently available with base-level accuracy of less than 5m); a Commercial Service (free, despite the name) with greater accuracy for businesses; a Search and Rescue Service, a distress alert detection system; and by 2023 a Public Regulated Service (PRS), restricted to government-authorised users, including the military.
During European Space Week in Marseilles last December, the European Commission emphasised the programme’s community and civilian nature, in contrast to military-run global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as GPS in the US, Russia’s Glonass (Global Navigation Satellite System) and China’s BeiDou (‘Northern Dipper’) system. The EU praised Galileo as a scientific and humanist venture that enhanced the EU’s political identity and opened up huge new markets worth tens of billions of euros. Then, sidestepping discussion of missiles or financial markets, journalists were invited on a boat trip to test the distress alert response capability.
(3) India and Japan have developed their own systems with purely regional scope.
(4) Didier Migaud, ‘La contribution de la France aux programmes européens Galileo et Egnos’ (France’s contribution to the European Galileo and Egnos programmes), Court of Auditors, Paris, 19 October 2015.
(5) ‘Global GPS Market, company profiles, share, trends, analysis, opportunities, segmentation and forecast 2017-2023’, Research and Markets, Dublin, January 2017.
(6) Paul Quilès and François Lamy, National Assembly information report no 2022, Paris, 15 December 1999.
(7) ‘Information Technology Outlook 2000: ICTs, E-commerce and the Information Economy’, OECD, Paris, 8 March 2000.
(8) Arnaud Leparmentier and Laurent Zecchini, ‘Les Etats-Unis multiplient les pressions contre le projet européen “Galileo” ’ (US steps up pressure on Europe’s Galileo programme), Le Monde, 20 December 2001.
(9) ‘Inception study to support the development of a business plan for Galileo programme’, PricewaterhouseCoopers, London, 20 November 2001.
(10) Steve Kettmann, ‘Europe GPS plan shelved’, Wired, San Francisco, 17 January 2002.
(11) ‘Information note of the European Court of Auditors concerning Special Report No 7/2009 on the management of the Galileo programme’s development and validation phase’, European Commission, Brussels, 2009.
(12) Amiel Sitruk and Serge Plattard, ‘The governance of Galileo’, European Space Policy Institute, Vienna, January 2017.
(13) Philippe Bernard, ‘Brexit: querelle ouverte au sommet de l’exécutif britannique’ (Brexit: open quarrel at the top of the UK government), Le Monde, 7 June 2018.
(14) Eric Albert, ‘Brexit: les Britanniques, écartés de Galileo, envisagent de lancer un projet concurrent’ (Brexit: Britain, shut out of Galileo, considers launching a competitor), Le Monde, 8 May 2018.
