Galileo: a new dimension in International satellite navigation

Galileo is the European contribution to the Global Navigation Satellite system (GNSS). The development and validation phase of this major European programme is jointly financed by the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA). Its design is driven by user needs and market expectations. After an overview of the main market trends, this article presents the state of implementation of the infrastructure and the Galileo services provided to the different navigation application domains. The international cooperation with important countries worldwide and the compatibility with GPS are also addressed. The progress made in identifying the future commercial operator is also described.