On Friday, 12 October, the EU launched two further pairs of satellites within the framework of its Galileo programme. Inspired by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, this initiative of the European Space Agency aims to develop a global satellite system for Europe.
Galileo is an overhaul of already existing Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and allows users to locate themselves in physical space at any given time, with higher precision and more reliable coverage. Some services that rely on GPS currently include in-car navigation systems and mobile phone networks. Given that GPS is a US-owned technology, Galileo will allow the EU to gain more independence in satellite navigation and make Europeans’ everyday lives easier through the vast array of applications it provides. These applications can shape various aspects of European society, including navigation aid, road transport, agriculture, maritime safety, innovation, and commerce.
Galileo’s services can be applied to individual electronic devices such as smartphones, for instance to provide navigation aid. These applications can guide their users in cities or regions that they are unfamiliar with as well as help those who are visually impaired to better navigate. For Alzheimer’s patients and their caretakers, these applications can be useful in monitoring their whereabouts and helping the patients find their way home.
In terms of road transport, Galileo can contribute towards increasing efficiency in the current road infrastructure. As global navigation satellite systems’ applications for roads have been experiencing 60% annual growth in the last five years, this is an important sector that Galileo will support. The programme will be able to track the real time location of buses, taxis and trucks. This would allow for better fleet management, which in turn could increase efficiency in road transport and traffic control.
In addition, Galileo and its ability to precisely map out information can foster growth in agriculture, through ‘precision farming’. Precision farming relies on satellite and information technology to optimise its use of resources in farming management. The technology can be applied to auto steering systems for tractors, even in extreme weather condition, to save manpower and drive up productivity. Furthermore, Galileo promises levels of precision that go down to less than one metre, which is useful in mapping out the differences in soil quality and seeding of the farms. This allows farmers to produce agricultural products in a more efficient and sustainable manner as the chances of excessive and unnecessary fertilisation are reduced. Nonetheless, the application for agriculture is not limited to crops. Livestock farms can also benefit from using satellite-enabled devices that allow farmers to monitor and manage the location of their livestock.
Galileo’s application goes beyond commercial purposes and can actually make citizens’ lives safer. For instance, safety of those on the sea can be further enhanced through Galileo’s Save and Rescue service. Currently, fishermen and sailors who get in trouble on the sea may have to wait several hours for the lighthouse to receive their distress signals. However, Galileo’s services promise to locate the vessels in real-time and even send a message confirming the system’s receipt of their signals.
Besides Galileo’s contribution to improving the lives of Europeans, there are also economic benefits that arise from the opportunities that Galileo presents. Oxford Economics researchers point out the influences of investments in research and development for satellite systems and their uses over other industries. The research states that every €100 million euro of investments could contribute to a €70 million increase in GDP from other sectors. Furthermore, Galileo is expected to significantly contribute to the European economy because of the programme’s main objectives that enable services and commercial activities. It has been estimated that €90 billion will be added to our economy in the first 20 years of operation.
The recent launch of the fourth satellite is significant because at least four satellites are required to calculate the position of a device – enabling engineers to conduct tests to verify the actual capacities of this system. A total of 30 satellites, with 27 operational ones and three spare devices, will complete the architecture of Galileo. As of now, eight satellites will be launched annually. It is said that Galileo will be fully operational in 2014.
Through this programme, the EU is not only advancing its technology, but also tapping into a growing market. There is an upward trend worldwide for the growth in the market for products and services that depend on navigation satellites. In eight years, the global market value is expected to increase by 96.7%, from €124 billion to €244 billion.
Contributing to Europe’s 2020 strategy for growth, Galileo is on its way to help Europeans gain independence from foreign satellite systems, all the while fostering economic growth through the services provided under the programme and the vast opportunities that will hopefully emerge for the private sector.
David Casa is a Nationalist MEP