Galileo reaches 1,000,000,000 users - no USA GPS involved

The Commission will today announce that the EU’s satellite navigation system Galileo will on Tuesday reach 1 billion users. The record number comes in handy as a 15th birthday present for the Prague-based European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency, the body responsible for space and for operating Galileo. There’ll be an event with European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska on Tuesday, which will provide her with an opportunity to set out her legacy. The 1 billion number is based on smartphones using Galileo that have been sold worldwide, an EU official told Europe's Playbook.

At a time when the US policies towards anyone else is seemingly open to random sanctions and new restrictions or conditions, the decision for Galileo almost generation ago was criticised by many. Now we can see the wisdom of the long range thinking to go it alone. It also shows that the EU can take these long range decisions, whereas individual countries woudl find it more difficult. The EU is also continuing in its search for green enegry via the ITER project, another huge gamble long range project now active in its centre in S France.

Well done the EGNSSA and happy birthday!