Galileo Takes Centre Stage at United Nations

Galileo recently took centre stage at the United Nations in Vienna and the Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). 

The European GNSS programme was part of an interactive exhibition on both EGNOS and Galileo, an event jointly sponsored by the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) on the occasion of the 52nd Session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

“While Galileo is indeed a project under the European Commission, cooperation with non-EU partners is nevertheless essential for its success,” said UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo, speaking during the exhibition’s opening on 9 February. “As satellite navigation systems expand globally, the goal of the International Committee on GNSS (ICG) is to ensure they remain fully compatible and interoperable – and for this, international cooperation is crucial.”

“We know that the real power of GNSS comes not from single systems, but from systems working together to achieve a common goal,” said Ambassador Györgyi Martin Zanathy, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna, echoing the words of Di Pippo. “We know cooperation among the different satellite navigation systems will lead to even greater economic, environmental, technical and social benefits.”

The Ambassador went on to note that with a ‘system of systems’, users will benefit from greater coverage, better accuracy and more confidence in their position fixes. Although the range of applications is already large, with the new accuracy, reliability and confidence offered by Galileo, this range will only grow.

“It gives me great pleasure to see that Europe's global satellite navigation system is about to make a real contribution to the future of navigation, positioning and timing,” concluded the Ambassador. “It's a very exciting time for us.”

“It gives me great pleasure to see that Europe's global satellite navigation system is about to make a real contribution to the future of navigation, positioning and timing.” 
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Ambassador Györgyi Martin Zanathy, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna

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More information:

GSA Hosts Global GNSS Community in Prague
International Committee on GNSS
EU Delegation to the International Organisations in Vienna