GPS World, August 2009

THE SYSTEM Galileo Too Has Accounting Problems The European Unions Galileo program has been ill prepared and badly managed according to a report by the European Court of Auditors released on June 29 These defects have set back development by five years it believes The report also criticizes the Unions 27 individual member states for counterproductive promotion of their respective national aerospace industries The auditors conclude that the original public private partnership plan was inadequately prepared and conceived and unrealistic The European Commission EC must considerably strengthen its management advice the EC has evidently taken to heart For the last year contract negotiations by the European Space Agency ESA have taken place under the watchful eye of an EC program manager Contracts On June 15 ESA signed contracts for the procurement of socalled long lead items required for the construction of the constellation with Astrium GmbH and OHB Systems the latter a German company and the former a German French partnership with British involvement Both Astrium 7 million and OHB 10 million contracts relate to parts for equipment of the satellite platforms and navigation payloads Award of the satellite contracts themselves is planned to take place by the end of 2009 ESA and Arianespace contracted for launch of the first four operational Galileo satellites on two Soyuz launch vehicles from Europes Spaceport in French Guiana The four IOV satellites will be placed in orbit by end of 2010 Conversations at the Paris Air Show seemed to indicate that ESA and the EC may divide the satellite construction contract into two stages to permit a later modification of the design and that they may also divide the first satellite contract between the two bidders Astrium and OHB as an insurance policy to reduce the possibility of further development delays and as a boon to design flexibility The Astrium CEO sharply criticized this option saying it would increase overall program cost The OHB CEO seemed more sanguine lauding ESAs move as likely to maintain a competitive environment MORE ONLINE O M N I S T A R H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E T M D G P S B R I N G I N G D E C I M E T E R A C C U R A C Y W I T H I N R E A C H Introducing OmniSTAR High Performance HP our revolutionary new DGPS system that redefines the standard for differential correction OmniSTAR has developed cost effective reliable real time corrections enabling high accuracy applications over entire continents without deploying local base stations Our innovative HP signal provides five times the accuracy of standard DGPS for horizontal accuracy of 10 15 cms HP means a wide area solution offering previously unobtainable levels of accuracy opening the door for high precision uses such as auto steering guidance and automation of agri vehicles increased hit probability for GIS utilities rough grading for construction applications survey projects oil exploration aerial photogrammetry and more We just raised the bar on accuracy and reliability but its way within your reach OmniSTAR HP Others promise we deliver Contact us for more information www omnistar com E x p e c t h i g h p e r f o r m a n c e 2005 OmniSTAR www gpsworld com August 2009 GPS World 15