EU and United States Consider Joint GPS Satellite Venture
The Europian Union and the USA may be close to a deal that combines their respective GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite networks. If the information from these two separate satellite systems is combined the result could be a previously unparalleled network of images and geographic information.
The deal would work like this: Both satellite arrays would send their signals along the same frequency—this would allow devices to receive both sets of information and interpret as well as combine the data.
The European Union’s GPS satellite system, named Galileo after the famous explorer, has yet to be launched. While there is still some uncertainty as to whether GPS device manufacturers will want to produce equipment that uses both satellite systems, most close to the decision believe that such a merger is inevitable.
Most believe the market for dual-use GPS devices will soar, and as a result the single use systems will be phased out over time. The United States is in the process of upgrading it’s current GPS satellite array, and while the EU does not have any Galileo satellites in orbit, they intend to have about 30 by 2010. The Galileo GPS satellite network is slated to be fully operational by 2012.
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