Europe and China share a common interest in cooperating to bring the
benefits of satellite navigation and Galileo in particular to transport,
science, land management, disaster prevention and other user sectors.
Sharing research results, encouraging education, joint projects and
industrial contacts are important means towards such goals.
In this context, the European Commission, the European Space Agency and
the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology have decided to establish a
training, cooperation and information centre for satellite navigation in
China. On the basis of bilateral discussions to date in the Europe-China
Joint Technical Working Group, the decision has been taken to locate the
centre at the renowned Beijing University.
The centre will be staffed initially by one or two experts supported by
two administrative and technical assistants.
Mr F. Lamoureux, Director General for Energy and Transport at the European
Commission, will inaugurate the centre together with Mr Shi Dinghuan,
Secretary General of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, at
11:00 on Friday 19 September in Beijing.
This will take place at the China-Europe Technical Training and
Cooperation Centre, Room 323 ZhongGuanCun FangZheng Building, No 298,
Chengfu Road, Haidian District (in front of the Beijing University East
Gate).
The Galileo system will be built around 30 satellites (27 operational and
three in reserve) stationed on three circular medium-Earth orbits
at an altitude of 23,616 km and inclined at 56 deg to the equator.
This configuration will provide excellent coverage of the entire
planet. Two Galileo centres will be set up in Europe to control
satellite operations and manage the navigation system.
Developed by ESA and the European Union on the basis of 50-50
cofinancing, Galileo will be a complete civil system, due to be
operational from 2008, offering users in Europe, and throughout
the world as well, a precise, secure satellite positioning service.
For more information please contact:
Mr J¸rgen Sanders, Counsellor for Science and Technology
Delegation of the European Commission in Beijing
+ 86 10 6532 4443
Mr RenÈ Oosterlinck, Head of ESA Navigation Department
+ 33 1 53 69 71 68
More information
* What is Galileo?
http://www.esa.int/esaSA/GGGMX650NDC_navigation_0.html
* Why Europe needs Galileo
http://www.esa.int/esaSA/GGG0H750NDC_navigation_0.html
* Who’s involved in Galileo?
http://www.esa.int/esaSA/GGG28850NDC_navigation_0.html
* Market prospects and business opportunities
http://www.esa.int/esaSA/GGGMN850NDC_navigation_0.html
* Galileo technology developments
http://www.esa.int/esaSA/ESAGKWU9EYC_navigation_0.html
Related links
* European Union
http://europe.eu.int/
* European Commission — Energy and Transport
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/galileo
* CENC
http://www.cenc.org.cn/en/index.html
Related articles
* Galileo becomes a reality for Europe
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBOBS1VED_index_0.html
* ESA welcomes setting-up of Galileo Joint Undertaking
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMCO8T1VED_index_0.html
* Galileo: contracts for the first satellites
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXYEXO4HD_index_0.html
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEM5180P4HD_index_1.html]
Galileo’s new technology will revolutionise our transport systems,
increasing safety and improving efficiency; this will make for
better quality of life and less pollution in our cities. Galileo will
also bring benefits in other aspects of everyday life, with
precision farming raising yields, improved information for
emergency services speeding up response times, and more
reliable and accurate time signals underpinning our most vital
computer and communications networks.
Credits: ESA/J.Huart
[Image 2:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEM5180P4HD_index_1.html#subhead1]
Europe’s satellite navigation system, called Galileo, is planned
to become operational in 2008.
Credits: ESA
