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GPS vs. Galileo; Where Are They Headed?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the either-way-i-need-a-foil-hat dept.

ben_ writes "This keynote speech from the recent European Navigation Conference talks about the history between the US military's GPS and the proposed EU Galileo system, as well as where they're both going. Interested in how you know where you are and what's going to happen to those satellites?"

6 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. More NAVSTAR GPS information by daveschroeder · · Score: 5, Informative

    The correct links for the US-administered GPS satellite constellation, known as NAVSTAR:

    NAVSTAR GPS Joint Program Office - responsible for operational maintenance of NAVSTAR GPS equipment, services, and infrastructure

    Interagency GPS Executive Board - executive management of NAVSTAR GPS

    GPS fact sheet - US Air Force facts about NAVSTAR GPS

    US Naval Observatory NAVSTAR GPS home page

    Further information:

    FAS GPS background info

    Global Security GPS background info

  2. Re:Competition vs monopoly by Hamhock · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, it only seems redundant if you're the one controlling it. If you're not the U.S., then you might be concerned that the U.S.'s GPS system may not always be available to you.

    --
    Two Minus Three Equals Negative Fun -Troy McClure
  3. Re:makes me wonder by Rhubarb+Crumble · · Score: 5, Informative
    Makes me wonder if China is working on its own global positioning system (see previous slashdot story/thread)

    They're in on Galileo: see here

  4. Don't forget about the Russians: GLONASS by shoppa · · Score: 5, Informative
    The Russians have had GLONASS for several years now.

    Here is a technical comparison. They seem more alike than different to me.

    I know of a few very high-powered geologists who cross-check GPS with GLONASS. Having a third system would seem to only help.

  5. Re:Essential to Ending US Dominance by Rhubarb+Crumble · · Score: 5, Insightful
    1. Someone more intelligent than Putin takes over Russia and uses Putin's communist-like infrastructure to once again impose a military state.

    Vlad Putin is a VERY smart guy. At the moment he's busy wresting control of the country back from the cowboy capitalists that Yeltsin and the IMF sold its natural resources to (as in 100 people own 1/4th of the country's wealth). This needs to happen before re-establishing the military's dominance can take place. The symbolism is already pointing that way, what with the red star being restored as the symbol of the Red Army, and the national anthem reverting to the Soviet one (but with new words). This is why eastern europe is so keen to join NATO, as they know very well that Russia the superpower is just taking a timeout...

    2. China decides that they have the most people in the world and that someone else should give up some land to support them.

    Ummm, China is very far away from Europe. If they want land from someone it'll be Russia....

  6. Re:Essential to Ending US Dominance by ldspartan · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're mostly correct. Selective Availibility can be done region by region (I don't know the resolution of this), and the signal can be degraded with rather fine-grained control (the whole world was degraded to 200meter-ish accuracy until the late 90s). SA does not effect military recievers; when supplied with the days proper P(Y) code, they are as accurate as the GPS spec allows (~1 meter resolution, best case).

    So the US can degrade the signal in a fine grained way, without affecting military / government systems.

    --
    Phil