Cheap at the price...

[ellal]

"Funding for the UK's own satellite navigation system to rival the European Union's Galileo project is expected to be announced.

It comes after the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March."

Linky

"The UK has already spent 1.4bn euros (£1.2bn) on Galileo, Europe's answer to the US GPS system.

Costs for a UK-only sat-nav system are likely to run to several billion pounds."

Of course as mentioned before, where do we get the rockets to launch the satellites?

The answer...

"We cannot launch yet, although obviously we are trying to address that, but this is something we think is in the realm of the credible"

"Furthermore, the system would be built to the specifications of just one country rather than needing to fulfil the requirements of all the EU's member states."

So who else would buy into it, given that there is an oversupply of existing systems?


Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving!

 

[EddieM]

Agree mainly, but where does the EU get its rockets.. clue they ain't built by the EU.

 

[ellal]

Agree mainly, but where does the EU get its rockets.. clue they ain't built by the EU.

You could argue that a company jointly owned by EU member states isn't actually 'built by the EU', but then that's just splitting hairs!

Arianespace Link

"As of early 2017, the company has sent more than 550 satellites in space. Arianespace is a subsidiary of Airbus Safran Launchers, which has 74 percent of the share capital. The remaining 26 percent is held by 18 shareholders in the European launcher industry.

Companies based in France own the most shares (64.1 percent), followed by German businesses (19.85 percent). The balance is held in small quantities (3.4 percent, or less) by shareholders in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Arianespace launches missions from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana."

Edit: They also launch from French territory near the equator, whereas we have Newquay, Glasgow and Snowdonia to choose from...

All of which makes it much more expensive launchwise, and thus commercially unviable for the UK to go it alone!

 

[EddieM]

The primary stage boosters are russian built rockets. The EU (and of course the UK) do not make rockets.

 

[ellal]

The primary stage boosters are russian built rockets. The EU (and of UK) do not make rockets.

And where do the components come from?

It is ownership of the project that is the criteria.

And in a globalised market it makes no commercial sense to offer a more expensive alternative just to assuage the current misguided 'nationalism'!

But how long do you think it will take to get this UK system up and running?

After all, a 'feasibility study' has yet to be started...

And it's been 17 years to get the EU system to this point so far!

 

[Ian H]

SatNav in cars? I hope BMW will still sort mine after Brexit.

 

[EddieM]

And where do the components come from?

It is ownership of the project that is the criteria.

And in a globalised market it makes no commercial sense to offer a more expensive alternative just to assuage the current misguided 'nationalism'!

But how long do you think it will take to get this UK system up and running?

After all, a 'feasibility study' has yet to be started...

And it's been 17 years to get the EU system to this point so far!

Well as I stated, it makes no sense, bit like HS2.

 

[motorbiking]

And where do the components come from?

It is ownership of the project that is the criteria.

And in a globalised market it makes no commercial sense to offer a more expensive alternative just to assuage the current misguided 'nationalism'!

But how long do you think it will take to get this UK system up and running?

After all, a 'feasibility study' has yet to be started...

And it's been 17 years to get the EU system to this point so far!

We have plenty of options and partners, plus we own a lot of IP in the current project. Some of the biggest funders of the project have urged the EU to stop being silly. The whole reason the project exists was to rival the US system, so its not about us doing our own thing, its about control of weapons. This is not really about more accurate GPS. We already have Inmarsat who's being doing that kind of stuff for years. This is about weapons grade accuracy.

Personally I'd rather the UK ran its own project creating UK jobs and IP. A project that has been running for 17 years will only have valuable assets dating back the last 3-5 years. The legal aspect of the EU withdrawing cooperation is quite interesting given the funding of the projects and who owns the important military technology necessary for the current project. Both sides would face costs. You'd be surprised how little it costs now to launch satellites.

 

[EddieM]

We have plenty of options and partners, plus we own a lot of IP in the current project. Some of the biggest funders of the project have urged the EU to stop being silly. The whole reason the project exists was to rival the US system, so its not about us doing our own thing, its about control of weapons. This is not really about more accurate GPS. We already have Inmarsat who's being doing that kind of stuff for years. This is about weapons grade accuracy.

Personally I'd rather the UK ran its own project creating UK jobs and IP. A project that has been running for 17 years will only have valuable assets dating back the last 3-5 years. The legal aspect of the EU withdrawing cooperation is quite interesting given the funding of the projects and who owns the important military technology necessary for the current project. Both sides would face costs. You'd be surprised how little it costs now to launch satellites.

Fair enough, but it seems pointless duplicating effort and putting more "junk" into space.

 

[Notch7]

"Funding for the UK's own satellite navigation system to rival the European Union's Galileo project is expected to be announced.

It comes after the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March."

Linky

"The UK has already spent 1.4bn euros (£1.2bn) on Galileo, Europe's answer to the US GPS system.

Costs for a UK-only sat-nav system are likely to run to several billion pounds."

Of course as mentioned before, where do we get the rockets to launch the satellites?

The answer...

"We cannot launch yet, although obviously we are trying to address that, but this is something we think is in the realm of the credible"

"Furthermore, the system would be built to the specifications of just one country rather than needing to fulfil the requirements of all the EU's member states."

So who else would buy into it, given that there is an oversupply of existing systems?


Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving!

The EU will be refunding €1.4 B euros then, wont they. Or they can give us access.

If thats their attitude, presumably they wont want the €39B either.

 

[Ihavenojob]

"Funding for the UK's own satellite navigation system to rival the European Union's Galileo project is expected to be announced.

It comes after the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March."

Linky

"The UK has already spent 1.4bn euros (£1.2bn) on Galileo, Europe's answer to the US GPS system.

Costs for a UK-only sat-nav system are likely to run to several billion pounds."

Of course as mentioned before, where do we get the rockets to launch the satellites?

The answer...

"We cannot launch yet, although obviously we are trying to address that, but this is something we think is in the realm of the credible"

"Furthermore, the system would be built to the specifications of just one country rather than needing to fulfil the requirements of all the EU's member states."

So who else would buy into it, given that there is an oversupply of existing systems?


Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving!

It's ok, I can read a map.

 

[motorbiking]

Fair enough, but it seems pointless duplicating effort and putting more "junk" into space.

There are 1500 already, another 9 wont make much difference.

 

[transam]

"Funding for the UK's own satellite navigation system to rival the European Union's Galileo project is expected to be announced.

It comes after the UK was told it would not be able to access the EU-wide programme after Brexit next March."

Linky

"The UK has already spent 1.4bn euros (£1.2bn) on Galileo, Europe's answer to the US GPS system.

Costs for a UK-only sat-nav system are likely to run to several billion pounds."

Of course as mentioned before, where do we get the rockets to launch the satellites?

The answer...

"We cannot launch yet, although obviously we are trying to address that, but this is something we think is in the realm of the credible"

"Furthermore, the system would be built to the specifications of just one country rather than needing to fulfil the requirements of all the EU's member states."

So who else would buy into it, given that there is an oversupply of existing systems?


Brexit - the gift that keeps on giving!

Australia

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

Some of the biggest funders of the project have urged the EU to stop being silly.

 

[EddieM]

There are 1500 already, another 9 wont make much difference.

You can get a GPS system with just 9 satellites?