CHINA and India have added their political clout, not to mention their cash, to the development of Europe鈥檚 controversial satellite positioning system, Galileo. On 31 October, China committed 鈧�200 million while India pledged 鈧�260 million a few days earlier.
The move is likely to anger US hawks, who say Galileo might interfere with their own Global Positioning System. A more likely cause for their concern is that it will quickly outperform the ageing GPS, leaving the US at a military disadvantage.
The European Union and the European Space Agency stress that their constellation of 30 satellites is being designed to be compatible with GPS. The 鈧�3.25 billion development, planned to be in use by 2008, is commercial rather than military and will break the EU鈥檚 reliance on GPS.
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Until now only 鈧�1.1 billion had been raised. China and India鈥檚 contribution will go some way to making up the 鈧�2 billion shortfall, and may encourage other nations to join.