New EU-backed satellite navigation system gets off the ground in Prague

The EU’s industry and entrepreneurship commissioner says the bloc’s long-delayed satellite navigation program is expected to be partly operational by the end of 2014.

Antonio Tajani — speaking at the official opening of the new Galileo system’s headquarters in the Czech capital, Prague on Thursday — said that two satellites will be launched next month, and from next year four more will go up every six months until a network of 30 is completed.

After years of delays, the first two Galileo satellites were placed into orbit last year.

Tajani said that from 2014-2020 it will cost €7 billion ($8.9 billion) to complete and maintain the system. The system should be fully operational by 2020.

The EU says the system is more precise and more reliable than the U.S. GPS.