Doubtful response to space navigation plan

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Series Details Vol.4, No.44, 3.12.98, p7
Publication Date 03/12/1998
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Date: 03/12/1998

By Renée Cordes

SEVERAL EU governments are urging the European Commission to abandon plans to spend an estimated 9 billion ecu on developing a space-based satellite navigation system for ships and aeroplanes.

Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock has already held talks with US, Japanese and Russian officials to explore the possibility of jointly deploying satellites which would transmit signals at given intervals to help commercial aircraft and ships to pinpoint their precise position.

American satellites currently used by private aircraft and ships in the US and Europe are not as accurate as those used by the military.

Kinnock is now pressing member states to support a European-based satellite system for use by private industry, which he argues could spur massive job growth. He is due to discuss the issue with the European Parliament early next year and unveil a formal strategy by March.

"With reasonable estimates suggesting that the world market could be worth $50 billion [45 billion ecu] within a few years, the European strategy should obviously be to put our countries in a position to capture a fair share of that," Kinnock told a recent conference of industry experts. "But it will not happen without combined and consistent political action to support the commercial and technical efforts of industry."

National experts are to discuss the issue at a working group meeting later this month. But several EU governments are already warning that it would be premature to set up a space-based satellite system in the near future.

"Before you get into talking about spending that level of money, you had better be sure there is not an easier way of doing it," said one diplomat. "The Commission says this is in the best long-term interest of the European Union, but a lot of member states are saying 'hold on a minute'."

The Union has already launched a pilot project using ground-based satellites linked to national air traffic services, a system which is already used to help aircraft land at Europe's airports.

The Commission would like to see a space-based system up and running by 2005. Rather than launching entirely new satellites in all cases, it is likely to suggest that the EU could rely on other countries' equipment to some extent.

While politicians debate the merits of launching EU satellites into space, European industry is already reaping commercial benefits from US-based systems and urging the Union to act.

"It is never too late to try and capture some of this potential big market," said Sean O'Malley, managing director of UK-based Racal Avionics, which provides services for ships and aircraft relying on signals from US satellites.

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