Europe‘s alternative to GPS went „live“ with initial services in December 2016 after 17 years of development. The European Commission promotes Galileo as more than just a back-up service; it is touted also as being more accurate and more robust.

An outage across the entire network is therefore a matter of significant concern and no little embarrassment.

Since its launch in 1978, GPS has become integral to the functioning of all modern economies.

Usage goes far beyond just finding one‘s way through an unfamiliar city. The system‘s timing function has now become ubiquitous in many fields, including in the synchronisation of global financial transactions, telecommunications and energy networks.