Speakers from Eurocontrol and the European Space Agency last month informed attendees at a meeting of the FAA’s Satellite Operational Implementation Team (SOIT) that their organizations would accept liability for system failures when the Galileo satnav system was used in critical applications requiring high-accuracy guidance, such as approach and landing operations. This policy is in contrast to that of the Department of Defense, which has steadfastly rejected the notion of liability and has clearly stated that GPS service is offered totally at the user’s risk, regardless of application.
Forecast to begin worldwide operations in 2008, Galileo will be interoperable with GPS–meaning both will use common receivers–and will bring up to 30 additional satellites to the present U.S. constellation. But while most user groups have acknowledged the availability and performance benefits of having two complementary satellite navigation systems in the future, there are still some underlying concerns within the Departments of State and Commerce about Europe’s satnav initiative, which will negate the GPS monopoly and is also seen as having potential adverse effects on U.S industry and space leadership. The acceptance of specified liability responsibility by the Galileo authorities serves only to increase these concerns. “They’ve stolen a march on us,” said one GPS industry attendee at the meeting.
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