PRAGUE (AP) - 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 euro7 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.
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