Galileo agreement means boost for UK space industry
The UK Government will contribute 95.7 million Euros, which is the same contribution as France, Germany and Italy. The investment could create up to 1000 new jobs in the UK. Galileo is the European programme to develop and operate its own civil satellite system for navigation, positioning and timing applications. It will offer long-term improvements to traffic management systems for all forms of transport and in commercial, industrial and other strategic areas. Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt has welcomed the agreement: ,The Governments investment in Galileo will maintain UK influence and industrial involvement in this satellite programme and the wider exploitation of space technologies for the benefit of users and the public. This investment, made by my Department and the Department for Transport, allows UK industry to build on its leading edge expertise in space technology and development, and to prepare it for later use in existing and innovative applications of satellite navigation technology. The Governments investment has secured the same share as France, Germany and Italy, and is likely to create around 1000 new high technology jobs in the UK. As well as benefiting the UKs satellite manufacturing companies, many of the jobs and investment opportunities created will be in the smaller supply companies, and leading edge research and development facilities. However, our longer term objective is to place the UK at the forefront of the wider economic and consumer benefits that will come from establishing innovative new applications and services using Galileo and other global navigation systems. This is where we hope that the Pinpoint Faraday Partnership will play a vital role by helping UK firms work with our best researchers to produce innovative time, positioning and navigation products and services. The Government will also be working with the Galileo Joint Undertaking, other EU Member States and the private sector to ensure that the deployment and operational phases of Galileo are funded by a public private partnership (PPP), in order to achieve value for money for the public sector. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------,Notes to Editors:,Galileo ,1. Galileo is a joint initiative of the European Community (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA). The development and validation phase is estimated to cost 1.1 billion Euros of which half will be provided by ESA through direct contributions from its Member States and half by the European Union from its Trans-European networks budget. The development and validation phase is expected to take four years during which time it is expected that funding arrangements for the deployment and operations of the system will be negotiated and agreed through a public private partnership.,2. The EC is responsible for the political dimension and the high level definition of requirements. The Transport Council has committed 550 million Euros from the Trans European Networks (TENs) budget. In addition, the development of services to specifically exploit Galileo is to receive 100 million Euros under the Sixth Framework Programme of research, technology and development. ,3. ESAs responsibilities cover the detailed definition, development and in-orbit validation of the space segment and related ground element. The ESA Ministerial Council agreed in principle at its 15 November 2001 meeting in Edinburgh to contribute 550 million Euros to Galileo. This agreement was contingent on a positive decision from the EC Transport Council, which was given at its March 2002 meeting. ,4. When the ESA programme closed to subscriptions, Member States had announced their willingness to subscribe up to 130 per cent of the original proposed programme. This recognised the economic potential offered by the programme. Like the UK, Germany, France and Italy made bids to achieve 25 per cent of the work in the programme but as a result of negotiations each will obtain 17.31 per cent, based on a total contribution of 553 million Euros. ,5. The Transport Council in March 2002 also agreed to the establishment of the Galileo Joint Undertaking (JU) to manage the development and validation phase including the negotiations for the public private partnership for the later phases. The founder members of the JU are to be the EU and ESA. The ESA Council in finalising the subscription issue has also agreed ESA participation in the JU and it will now be formally established. ,Faraday Partnerships ,1. Faraday Partnerships bring together leading researchers with firms of all sizes working through two or more "core partner" organisations such as a university and an independent research and technology organisation, together with a number of companies across the country. 2. The Partnerships enable companies to access high quality research and the expertise of the industrial research organisations. They employ "technology translators" people who act as a link between research and business, ensuring that good ideas are properly developed and that researchers understand the potential that their work offers in generating wealth in the future. ,3. Each Partnership receives underpinning support worth up to £400,000 per year, usually from DTI, to put in place an industrially focused management team; employ technology translators; offer infrastructure support to allow PhD students to work in non-university laboratories; and put in place industry clubs and similar mechanisms to disseminate good practice. ,4. The Pinpoint Faraday Partnership (originally known as the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Applications Faraday Partnership) award was announced on 5 September 2002 (Press Reference P/2002/560). The core partner is the National Physical Laboratory (in collaboration with several universities). Core funding will be provided by DTI with research funding from EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council). ,Press Enquiries: +44 (0)20 7215 0806/0905,(Out of Hours: +44 (0)20 7215 3234/3505),Public Enquiries: +44 (0)20 7215 5000,Textphone (for people with hearing impairments): +44 (0)20 7215 6740,http://www.bnsc.gov.uk
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