China joins EU's satellite network

[Capt_Nemo]

I'm surprised nobody noticed this one yet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3121682.stm

I'm not sure if traffic control is what the chinese have in mind...

[mmm]

1. That's news to me

will this be used to control nuclear bomb loaded satellites?
I suppose they have to keep up with the US.

[Capt_Nemo]

2. precision is only required for conventional warheads

Not enough energy to waste arround...

This is about going arround half the world to mess with someone else's
business, like the US does.

They call it "power projection".

[aneerkoinos]

3. Great news!

The main reason is of course that Galileo will be more accurate and better than the US system, GPS - and not controlled by US :). Galileo is not meant for military use but of course it can be.

EU and Japan have been technological and market leaders in wireless communication, e.g. GMT. US fiasco in hand held phones shows just how ineffective "the invisible hand" against standards promoted by governements and business together. Now US may loose the market also in satellite phones.