The Galileo satellite network, which was planned as an alternative to the US-based GPS system, was supposed to be in place by 2008. But problems on both technical and political fronts slowed the launch of the system. Now the first satellites are finally up and running in the program's test phase.
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27 are planned in all, with launch dates scheduled over the coming years. The positioning data the system delivers will have both military and commercial uses. Tomorrow Today went to Galileo's nerve center in the German town of Oberpfaffenhofen to find out more.
