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Galileo To Be Europe's Answer To US GPS

Posted by Soulskill on from the zombie-galileo-knows-how-to-get-to-grandma's-house dept.

judgecorp writes "Two Galileo satellites that will signify the start of the European Union's answer to the American Global Positioning System will be launched into orbit on Thursday aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. It's using Soyuz because it is cheaper than the French Ariane — and the satellite system is supposed to free Europe from dependence on a U.S.-controlled positioning system."

2 of 402 comments (clear)

  1. Re:For such a vital system. by sosume · · Score: -1, Troll

    I don't buy that the stated purpose for the system (independence from the US's military) is very credible

    The purpose is easy. Extract money from the citizens. That's the only purpose for which the EU exists. This time, through extra car taxes, measuring exactly how many miles you have driven. You'd expect this to reach the headlines - but no such thing. It's sad that Europeans have to read this news on US sites. Maybe that explains why so many Europeans feel the EU is an evil institute. But I bet nobody outside the EU ever hears about tat.

  2. Re:For such a vital system. by Gordonjcp · · Score: 0, Troll

    I don't really see what the US can do about it. If you don't like it, stop bumming rides off us. Go and find someone else to help you lift your payloads into space, now that you have no viable launch vehicles. How are things between you and Iran these days? I hear they're making great progress towards reliable LEO delivery.