Slashgeo

Very Spatial links to an interesting Defense Tech article regarding China's potential answer to USA's GPS, Europe Galileo and Russia's Glonass navigation satellites named Compass. From the article: "China invested in the European Galileo system through the Galileo Joint Undertaking. [...] It’s no surprise, then, that China would feel betrayed by its partnership in the Joint Undertaking. Compass may be a result of China’s desire to strike out on its own– or a bluff aimed at wrangling a more substantive role in Galileo. [...] Another consideration: there is a possibility that Compass could jam GPS and Galileo. Even as a regional system, Compass could have significant military implications"

the SM-GIS blog links to a Space Review article on Europe's Galileo and China's Compass. From the article: "For the Chinese, Galileo is no longer a partner, but instead more of a competitor. They extracted as much as they reasonably could have out of their relationship with the Europeans over this and now have decided to strike out on their own. [...] China was invited into Galileo partly as a way to snub the US and partly because the Europeans seem to believe that the more “international” a project is the better chance it has of not being canceled."

Slashdot discuss the Chinese Beidou geostationary GPS system to be offered free. Their summary: "The Chinese GPS system, Beidou, is apparently to be opened up for free access within China, worrying European investors on the 2.5 billion competing project, Galileo. Initially, China had declared that access to their system would be restricted to the military, and Europe had planned to recoup some of the cost of their system selling licenses to China. Michael Shaw, from the US government's National Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Coordination Office in Washington DC said "Frankly, China's behavior towards Europe is not so different to how Europe behaved with us when GPS was the only game in town a decade ago."

GeoCarta discuss and links to articles related to Vladimir Putin hoping GLONASS will have a bright future. From this article: " “In order users chose GLONASS, the system should operate flawlessly, better than GPS (the global positioning system). Cheaper and with a better quality,” he said at a meeting with government members on Monday. “I hope that the government will pay much attention to the creation of the GLONASS system,” the president said. He added that he watched the progress of the project. “We have the right to count on known, healthy economic patriotism of our users, first of all of the state, but I proceed from the assumption that we shall work on market terms in this sector of the economy, and users will be able to chose a quality service,” Putin stressed." See numerous related stories below, including the collaboration between India and Russia.

Slashdot discuss a Reuters article on the U.S. and Europe trying to reach an agreement to allow using GPS and Galileo signals together. Their summary: "The US and EU are in talks to allow their separate GPS systems to work together. The future uses would allow enhanced location information based on two readings, among other benefits. 'The market probably will drive dual-use receivers. We think probably that single (U.S.) GPS-specific, or Galileo-specific receivers — the market will phase out in time [...] It just doesn't make sense to limit yourself to just one system'." Also from the article: "Under the agreement, which the United States says it expects to be signed this week, both EU and U.S. satellites would send information on the same radio frequency, enabling receivers to get signals from both systems and combine the data." If you read the informative comment on Very Spatial, you'll learn that such GPS-Galileo cooperation was planned from the beginning. See below numerous related stories, including the serious financial troubles of Galileo. Vector One also remarks the new USAF approved 8 GPSIIIa satellites to be launched by 2013.