Cracking the GPS Galileo Satellite

Glyn writes "Newswise is reporting the the encryption in the Galileo GPS signal has been broken. The pseudo random number generator used to obscure the information stored in the Galileo GPS signal has been broken. From the article: 'Members of Cornell's Global Positioning System (GPS) Laboratory have cracked the so-called pseudo random number (PRN) codes of Europe's first global navigation satellite, despite efforts to keep the codes secret. That means free access for consumers who use navigation devices -- including handheld receivers and systems installed in vehicles -- that need PRNs to listen to satellites.'"

Comments

Re:uncrackable encryption

[arminw]

..... requires differential GPS, which needs fixed receivers and transmitters in relatively close proximity, so it can never cover the whole world.....

So only the small number of applications, such as the military, that need such precision somewhere out in the middle of nowhere will buy the Euro GPS keys. The rest will use fixed stations as needed for precision greater than the free US system provides. Besides this is really just another DRM system to prevent the intended recipient from finding the key. It looks like someone already has found it. Fortunately, the data these satellites send is not copyrighted. Therefore the DMCA type DRM protection laws don't apply.

Re:Never Understood the Logic of Galileo

[dfenstrate]

The A380 is not a me-too project. Americans only even know that name because it is a real threat to Boeing, who chose not to build a plane of that capacity. It's not someone else's plane, only slightly bigger, either. It's the continuation of Airbus engineering, which is very different from Boeing's.

If the A380 was a real threat to boeing, they'd be makin a similar sized aircraft too.
From what I've read though, Boeing is doing just fine, especially since they have a better history of delivering.

Some fun stuff about the A380!

Airbus has asked the British government for a subsidy of almost $700 million to make the A350 wings in Wales, and it wanted an answer by the Paris Show, according to The Sunday Times of London. Airbus was threatening to make the wings elsewhere if it didn't get the money.

Gee, I'm sure Boeing has had some tax breaks, but that's a pretty audacious demand, huh? $700 million dollars in direct subsidies?

Airbus is in trouble, big trouble

The much vaunted A380 is being plagued by engineering problems, is 5 to 10 tons over promised delivery weight, the break even point is now well over 250 units and may well reach 300.

That was over a year ago, but that's pretty bad.

Airbus' parent company lost more than a quarter of its market value as investors reacted swiftly and harshly to the news that the European jetmaker will pare back the delivery schedule for the superjumbo jet A-380.

and

There are signs of extreme discontent among the major customers for the A 380. Emirates of Dubai, which has by far the largest order, 45, has announced it will seek unspecified discussions with Airbus. If Emirates demands late-delivery penalties, these could run to hundreds of millions of dollars, as it cannot fly routes anticipated, or has to line up alternative capacity at higher costs. Such late delivery penalties are commonplace in contracts for new model airliners.

That was three weeks ago

Now, there have been a few snags with the production set up for the Boeing 787 dreamliner, but they could just be normal teething problems for a new product. They don't have the weight of the 380's problems... hehe 5-10 ton weight.

But your pride in the A380.... could be misplaced.