December 30, 2005
Satellite will bring cinema listings to your mobile phone
The first of a network of 30 satellites that will provide Europe with its own version of the American GPS was launched yesterday, writes The Times.
The Giove A satellite will test atomic clocks and signal generators for the Galileo project, which will give civilian users a satellite navigation and positioning service ten times more accurate than the alternatives available today. Coverage in Europe will be virtually total. In most locations six to eight satellites will always be visible, allowing positions to be determined to within a few centimetres.
This will transform the consumer applications of satellite positioning technology, allowing mobile phones with a Galileo chip to receive local weather forecasts and entertainment listings. The system will underpin road-pricing and air traffic control networks, and would make it possible to fit cars with control units that prevent drivers from getting too close to other vehicles.
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