City hopes for Europe sat-nav HQ

Galileo should mean greater demand for positioning systems

A Welsh Euro-MP is campaigning for Cardiff to be at the centre of Europe's global satellite navigation system.

Eluned Morgan wants the Welsh capital to become headquarters of the authority overseeing the European Union's multi-billion euro Galileo project.

It will allow everyone from motorists to mobile phone users to track exactly where they are in the world.

Cardiff is the UK's preferred city and is competing with other European sites for the 30 highly-skilled jobs.

The scheme is Europe's answer to GPS, the US Global Positioning System.

But European experts claim Galileo will offer greater accuracy and reliability for location-based services.

GPS signals have problems penetrating high-rise cities, but Galileo is said to bring improvements that should see sat-nav receivers get a far better fix.

THE GALILEO PROJECT Europe's own global satellite navigation system 30 satellites in three medium-Earth orbits (23,600km) Will work alongside US GPS and Russian Glonass systems Promises real-time positioning down to under a metre Performance improvements should see sat-nav expand into many more mobile devices Suitable for safety-critical systems - can run trains, guide cars and land planes

The European Commission and European Space Agency, which are investing in the project, hope that will mean sat-nav is installed in many more mobile devices.

Labour's Ms Morgan, who sits on the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee, said Cardiff would be an excellent location, and spin-off benefits for the local economy would be provided.

Speaking as Euro-MPs met to hear the latest on Galileo, she said: "With international air and rail links on our doorstep, it is now possible to get to many European destinations in just a couple of hours.

"Wales is also a great place to do business, with extensive support services, academic centres of excellence, political support and a highly-trained commercial and industrial workforce.

"It is also a dynamic destination, where many new companies are combining innovation with commercial success. "

Galileo is due to be operational by 2008, with 30 spacecraft in orbit by the end of the decade.