Galileo Project Achievements

In February, the chapter welcomed Alexander Mager, vice president of business development, strategy and communication, European Satellite Navigation Industries, as keynote speaker. Mager discussed the progress in the European satellite navigation system Galileo. At the end of 2005, the development contract was signed between the European Space Agency and industry participants. The first test satellite, Giove-A, has been successfully launched into orbit, Mager reported. The launch of Giove-B was scheduled for this spring. Satellite control centers in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and Fucino, Italy, are about to become fully operational, while the international test and development facility "GATE" already is in use. The European Commission, the European Parliament and European Union nations agreed on public-funded financing of the Galileo project. The agreement currently calls for launching up to 30 satellites into orbit by 2013.

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