EU’s Galileo to be Partially Operational by Late 2014

Europe’s Galileo navigational system is moving ahead:

EU says satellite navigation system expected to be partly operational by the end of 2014

The EU’s industry and entrepreneurship commissioner says the bloc’s long-delayed satellite navigation program is expected to be partly operational by the end of 2014.Antonio Tajani — speaking at the official opening of the new Galileo system’s headquarters in the Czech capital, Prague on Thursday — said that two satellites will be launched next month, and from next year four more will go up every six months until a network of 30 is completed.After years of delays, the first two Galileo satellites were placed into orbit last year…The system should be fully operational by 2020. The EU says the system is more precise and more reliable than the U.S. GPS. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/eu-says-satellite-navigation-system-expected-to-be-partly-operational-by-the-end-of-2014/2012/09/06/7bf89012-f82b-11e1-a93b-7185e3f88849_story.html

Countdown: a month to go to Galileo’s next launch

Paris (ESA) Sep 14, 2012

After arriving at the launch site last month, the second pair of Galileo navigation satellites is being prepared for launch from Europe’s Spaceport in October. This week will see the third Galileo satellite having its propellant tank filled with hydrazine fuel. The fourth recently had its final multilayer thermal insulation added, with its own propellant tank due to be filled next week…The first four Galileo satellites were built by a consortium led by EADS Astrium, Germany…http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Countdown_a_month_to_go_to_Galileos_next_launch_999.html

GPS, Galileo Launches Near; GSA Opens Prague Office

The twin Galileo satellites flight model (FM) 3 and 4, will be launched from the Euroopean spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on board a Soyuz ST-B launcher, joining the first two Galileo IOVs that have been orbiting since October 2011.

This is a significant milestone for Europe’s Galileo program because four is the minimum number required for navigational fixes, enabling full system testing whenever they are all visible in the sky…

GSA will take over responsibility for EGNOS program management from January 2014 and Galileo from 2016 under the terms of a new EU GNSS regulation expected to be issued in the near future. “Our aim is to become an efficient organization capable of mastering the complexities of a large-scale operational space program, while effectively leveraging the decision making/regulatory context of a European machine driven by 27 member states,” GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides said during comments at the Prague event. http://www.insidegnss.com/node/3195

Europe’s Galileo satellite program continues to advance, despite some occasional delayes. Galileo is Europe’s answer to the USA’s Global Positioning System (GPS). It is more accurate and is intended to cover more area of the planet (though it would not surprise me that area coverage could be reduced for budgetary concerns). Galileo represents a new era in the sense that it is a major EU project that improves on what the USA has and shows that the Europeans have the potential to become a modern military power (though Galileo is only one of the needed pieces).

Because of various problems, the USA announced in mid-2010 that it would link to Europe’s Galileo for some of its military needs.

This, as I reported at the time (see USA GPS and EU Galileo linking was expected), was dangerous, and remains so. But I expected it, and so warned about it in 2009. Notice something I published over three years ago:

In 2013, the Europeans are planning on having their own global positioning system (GPS), called Galileo, available for military applications. This will allow the Europeans to track the world and attack others without relying on the U.S.A.’s GPS. This will be the first time in the 21^st century that Europeans will be able to have that type of independent military capability.

Furthermore, according to a 2009 report from the U.S. government, the U.S. Air Force may have to start relying on the European Galileo system (at least to a degree) beginning in 2013, as the U.S. GPS capabilities are expected to deteriorate by then (other problems are also appearing in the newer U.S. satellites). Because the Europeans will be able to control Galileo, they will also likely be capable of derailing certain sophisticated U.S. military applications. This will give the Europeans a unique defensive (as well as offensive) capability that no others on the planet will have.

When I wrote that in May of 2009, the U.S. Air Force denied that there was such a problem.

Sadly, this is happening right now. The power in Europe is starting to rise up. And yes, ultimately, I believe that Galileo (or similar technology) will be used to as part of an attack on American (USA and possibly Canadian) forces, as well as to help prevent counter-strikes.

Interestingly, Europe’s Galileo satellite system initially had US critics as there were “early objections from the Americans who thought a rival system to GPS might be used to attack its armed forces” (Amos J. EU awards Galileo satellite-navigation contracts. BBC, Jan 7, 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8442090.stm). So when Galileo was first proposed, American leaders opposed it as they felt it could be used militarily against the USA–thus my conclusions are not far-fetched. Now that the USA expects to partially rely on it, the risks are even greater.

A while back, the BBC reported an unusual comment about Galileo:

Wikileaks: ‘Galileo boss’ Smutny removed over cable row

BBC – Jan 17, 2011

OHB-System’s Berry Smutny was reported in a cable to have told US diplomats that…“I think Galileo is a stupid idea that primarily serves French interests”, and, in particular, French military interests. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12212525

I would add that it is more than the French military that is interested in Galileo. In the middle of 2008, the European Union funded Galileo for its military applications (EU Approves Galileo For Military Use), and not just for the French. And there is a lot of German technology behind it.

Europe is moving forward with its space plans and few in the USA seem to realize that when it gets enough power, the USA will lose all of its.

Linking up with Galileo (which the USA has publicly stated that it will do; see USA GPS and EU Galileo linking was expected) specifically puts the USA at major risk of not being able to launch an effective counter-strike if the EU attacks the USA. Do Americans not remember that the wars in Kuwait and Iraq were waged first by the USA having vastly superior air/space systems? And now the USA’s financial mess is leading the USA to rely on other nations for part of this capability. The world is changing and the USA is losing its vast military supremacy. And top powers that lose their military supremacy have historically been taken over by others. Yes, this satellite matter is that serious.

Europe, despite its problems, is starting to rise up. Galileo, and the partial apparent USA dependance upon it, gives the Europeans a unique type of military power. This is something all should be concerned about.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? What MUST happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”?