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"Pathfinders" Take Shape For Galileo, Europe's GPS

oliderid sends along a BBC report on progress toward Europe's home-grown GPS system. The Galileo concept will get an initial test via four "pathfinder" satellites that will be the first in the Galileo constellation. Galileo is intended to be complementary with the US GPS system — when all 30 Galileo birds are flying, a receiver with both GS and Galileo capability should enjoy 1-meter positional accuracy, vs. the several meters available through GPS alone, according to the article. There's a video tour of the facility where the pathfinders are being built. "After all the wrangling, the delays, and the furor over cost, Europe's version of GPS is finally starting to take shape. Due for launch in pairs in late 2010 and early 2011, the 'pathfinders' will form a mini-constellation in the sky. They will transmit the navigation signals that demonstrate the European system can become a reality."

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  1. Time service by vlm · · Score: -1, Redundant

    I'd like to buy a NTP appliance that averages together GPS/Navistar, Galileo, and GLONASS for reliability/precision reasons.

    I know I can buy GPS based NTP appliances off the shelf for years (decades?), but I'm interested in combined devices.

    Obviously Galileo based systems are only vaporware at this time, but someone must have announced something by now?

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger