Official U.S. government information about the
Global Positioning System (GPS) and related topics
Joint Statement on Galileo and GPS Signal Optimization
By the European Commission (EC) and the United States (US)
Brussels 24 March 2006
In June 2004, the EC and US signed the Agreement on the Promotion, Provision and use of Galileo and GPS Satellite-Based Navigation Systems and Related Applications on the compatibility and interoperability of the Galileo and GPS satellite navigation systems. A central element of the Agreement was a common baseline signal structure that could be optimized for greater performance.
On 20-22 March 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden, the GPS-Galileo expert group on radio frequency compatibility and interoperability successfully produced a jointly-optimized common signal after 21 months of cooperative effort. The working group also verified that this signal satisfies all compatibility requirements and recommends this signal for broadcast by both the Galileo and GPS constellations.
Following this recommendation, the EC and US will promptly assess relevant programmatic aspects of implementing the joint-optimization. Subject to this assessment, the EC and US intend to formally notify each other of their intent to implement the jointly-optimized common signal.
Once implemented, the common signal will be jointly broadcast by up to 60 satellites from both the Galileo and GPS constellations.
The EC and US will continue to work together on GPS-Galileo compatibility and interoperability in order to raise the state-of-the-art in navigation, positioning, and timing services for users worldwide.
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Heinz Hilbrecht
Head of the EU delegation
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Ralph Braibanti
Head of the US delegation
