(Associated Press via NewsEdge) The European Union gave its final approval Monday to the much-delayed Galileo satellite navigation program, whose $5.35 billion costs will be borne by taxpayers.
The EU transport ministers created an EU oversight panel, the Galileo Surveillance Authority, and put the European Commission in charge of the Galileo program, aided by the Paris-based European Space Agency.
Touted as technologically superior to its rival, the American GPS system, Galileo is scheduled to be operational by 2013 but has encountered delays.
Its first satellite was launched in 2005, but the second missed its late 2006 launch due to a short-circuit problem in final testing.
EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot sounded confident the second satellite would be launched April 26 by a Russian Soyuz rocket and that Galileo will become operational as planned.
'We are sending a clear message that the European Union remains committed to provide all EU nationals and companies with a high-quality satellite navigation system by 2013,' he said.
Slovenia Transport Minister Radovan Zerjav, who chaired the EU meeting, said Galileo 'will create new jobs and Europe will claim its rightful place side by side with the technologically most developed world powers.'
Last fall, European Union governments had to agree to a taxpayer bailout after a consortium of private companies from France, Germany, Spain, Britain and Italy walked away from the project in a financing dispute.
Complicating matters, Spain then demanded a ground control station as part of the 30-satellite network though only two, one in Germany and one in Italy, were initially foreseen.
At least $1.48 billion of taxpayers' money has already been spent on the project.
The remaining funding is to come from leftover agriculture funds and research, transport and administration budgets.
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