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China Joins EU in Galileo Satellite Venture
CHaN_316 writes "Yahoo has posted a story that says China to Participate in Galileo Satellite Program. 'The agreement provides for cooperation in satellite navigation, technology, industrial manufacturing, market development, frequency and certification'. This is definitely a good boost to the satellite program since it injects fresh cash into the project. There are probably strategic reasons for joining this network since it's an alternative to the American controlled GPS system. Here's more information about Galileo." China is also moving quickly toward getting a man in space.
Story also on BBC NEWS- China will cough up 259 mega-dollars towards the costs. The Pentagon are not too happy about it, but it does give the EU a way to do important things like landing planes, without worrying that someone else could throw the switch.
"You lied to me! There is a Swansea!"
That's the Japanese that can't pronounce their Rs. Geez, get yer demeaning national stereotypes right
"The absurd is clear reasoning recognizing its limits"
-Albert Camus
I have worked on the Galileo project on a technical level and it really does need some new impetus, and some new capital injection, ESA is being quite slow at coming up with the funding at the correct time (even though its been signed off at a political level). It truely is a project of massive scale, and involves alot of interfacing between European space companies.
Another benefit of this is there isn't as big a rush to launch the first testbed satellite that was going to block/reserve the frequency blocks that Galileo is going to use for fear the Chinese will get their first.
I wonder how the US views this move, considering they are already unhappy with the Galileo implications in the first place. Especially with Chinas ICBM ambitions.
FYI, Chinese has an "l" sound.
The most difficult sound for Mandarin Chinese speakers to pronounce is "th", as in the word "the". It tends to come out more like "z".
Good question. Fear and paranoia drove the US to the greatest technical achievement of the millenium with the moon landings. Since then it has been all hugs and kisses with the Russians in the space station and no progress! I'll take the competition, and progress.
an ill wind that blows no good
I am a little shocked by your statement: "reasonably satisfied with one big, happy world-except-America."
I'm not sure whether you're taking what I said out of context or whether I was just unclear in what I said. But allow me to elucidate...
When I talk of a "world except America", I'm not talking about a world without America. Most of the world perceives the US as slave to multinationals and willing to fuck over whomever it deems necessary to maximise the profit of those corporations, be it US citizens foreigners, foreign nations or even continents. I confess to a certain amount of sypathy for that attitude myself. But everyone (everyone) I know who has "anti-american" feelings has great respect for American people, american technology, american cultu^H^H^H^H^H cinema and many other aspects of The American Way. We laughed as you demonstrated in 2000 that you didn't give a damn about democracy, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who was bitterly disappointed, too. Many sneer as you rip up your constitution one article at a time, but many, many more would love to see you decide that you really are interested in freedom, after all.
All anti-American sentiment (faith-based initiatives such as al Quaeda aside) is focussed solely on your government and its foreign policy. And those hugely fat bastards with camcorders who think that all foreigners speak English if you shout loudly enough.
I read recently that GLONASS would be incorporated into Galileo, or that what has been built of GLONASS would be made to work with Galileo. It's good to see the Russians returning to their common European home.
A repeat of an earlier post (sorry about the dupe, but this article may be of interest.
Nope, GLONASS will not be part of Galileo. GLONASS started to work at 1993, and still up and running, they have 11 satellites total at this time (up to 24 at 2007(?)), and it's military controlled system. Many russian-made receivers can work with both GPS and GLONASS system.