European Commission Launches EGNOS Open Service

European Commission Launches EGNOS Open Service
http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/galileo/news/european-commission-laun=
ches-egnos-open-service-8972?print=3D1

European Commission Launches EGNOS Open Service
October 1, 2009
Free Access to Consumers and Businesses

EGNOS is a satellite-based augmentation system that improves the accuracy=
of satellite=20
navigation signals over Europe. The system is composed of transponders ab=
oard three=20
geostationary satellites hovering high above the Eastern Atlantic and the=
European=20
continent, linked to a ground network of about 40 positioning stations an=
d four control=20
centers, all interconnected.


The EGNOS coverage area includes most European states and has the built-i=
n capability to=20
be extended to other regions, such as North Africa and EU neighbouring co=
untries.

According to European spokespersons, it improves the accuracy of current =
GPS signals from=20
about ten meters to two meters. Nevertheless, receiver manufacturers=E2=80=
=99 demonstrated=20
experience shows results of unaided, uncorrected GPS accuracy around five=
meters under=20
moderately favorable conditions and medium-grade receiver equipment.


The Commission believes that both European businesses and citizens can gr=
eatly benefit=20
from EGNOS. The Commission seeks to support new applications in sectors s=
uch as=20
agriculture (high-precision spraying of fertilizers), and transport (for =
example,=20
automatic road-tolling or pay-per-use insurance schemes). EGNOS can also =
support much more=20
precise personal navigation services, both for general and specific uses,=
for example=20
systems to guide blind people, and to improve signal reception in urban a=
reas.


EGNOS will be certified for use in aviation and other safety-critical are=
as in compliance=20
with the Single European Sky regulation. Through EGNOS a Safety-of-Life s=
ervice is=20
expected to be in place by mid 2010. This service will provide a valuabl=
e warning message=20
informing the user within six seconds in case of a malfunction of the sys=
tem. A Commercial=20
Service is under test and will also be made available in 2010.


Both the Open Service and the Safety-of-Life Service are provided free of=
charge, and the=20
European Union is committed to supporting EGNOS for the long term, even a=
fter Galileo has=20
become operational. This includes extending its geographical scope within=
the coverage of=20
the three satellites involved.


The operations of EGNOS are managed, through a contract with the European=
Commission, by=20
the European Satellite Services Provider, ESSP SaS, a company based in To=
ulouse, France,=20
founded by seven air navigation services providers. The contract between =
the Commission=20
and ESSP SaS was signed yesterday, 30 September, and will ensure the mana=
gement of the=20
EGNOS operations as well as the maintenance of the system until the end o=
f 2013.


The EGNOS Open Service is accessible, without service guarantee or result=
ing liability, to=20
any user equipped with a GPS/SBAS compatible receiver within the EGNOS co=
verage area. Most=20
receivers sold today in Europe meet that requirement. No authorisation or=
=20
receiver-specific certification is required.


EGNOS was developed by European industries, the EOIG (EGNOS Operator and =
Infrastructure=20
Group) with the support of the European Commission (EC), the European Spa=
ce Agency (ESA)=20
and Eurocontrol. Since April 1, EGNOS is owned and managed by the Europea=
n Union while the=20
European Space Agency; who led the design and development of the system, =
is now the design=20
and procurement agent through a delegation agreement with the European Co=
mmission.


More information about EGNOS is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/egnos ,
http://www.gsa.europa.eu/go/egnos ,
http://www.esa.int/esaNA/egnos.html ,
http://www.essp-sas.eu

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Here's the ABC news report:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3D8721256