Posted: Sat, Dec 11, 2004, 9:05 AM ET (1405 GMT)
The European Union decided Friday to press ahead with the deployment of the Galileo satellite navigation system. Transport ministers from EU member states, meeting Friday in Brussels, agreed to move ahead to the deployment phase of Galileo, when the system's satellites are built and launched, and ground stations developed. The EU estimates that the deployment phase will cost €2.1 billion (US$2.75 billion), with one-third of the cost to be paid by the public sector. The remaining funding will be provided by one of two private-sector consortia competing for the Galileo concession contract; the EU is expected to select one group by the end of February. According to the current schedule an initial test satellite will be launched in 2005, with the full satellite constellation to be deployed by 2008. Galileo has recently been criticized by some members of the British Parliament, who are concerned the costs of the program will increase and also question the overall utility of the system.
