<p>Australia has been included in consultations by the European Commission into the roll-out of its planned satellite radio navigation system, Galileo.</p> <p>Created as an alternative to US government’s global positioning satellite (GPS) system, which is under military control and can be unilaterally shut down, Galileo is a joint project of the European Union and the European Space agency and is under civilian control.</p> <p>It is, however, compatible with GPS and is expected to be operational in 2011.</p> <p>Australia has joined Switzerland, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Brazil in talks, while China, Israel, Ukraine and South Korea have already signed agreements.</p> <p>“Its profitable applications will spread into many areas of all our lives from safe and efficient transport in every domain (aviation, maritime, road, rail and even pedestrian) to crisis and emergency management, as well as applications in various commercial sectors (precision farming, security of online financial transactions, optimal transfer of electricity along power lines, tourism, etc.),” the EC said on Friday (December 8) when advising of the adoption of a Green Paper on its applications.</p> <p>“The Green Paper sets out the frame in which satellite navigation applications are being developed. In particular, it intends to stimulate a discussion among interested parties and prompt new ideas on the possible tasks of the public sector to support the development of such applications.”</p> <br />
