This year marks a major milestone as the United States’ Global Positioning System (GPS) celebrates its 50th anniversary. Over the past five decades, GPS has evolved from a military tool to a ubiquitous global utility that underpins countless civilian and commercial applications. As we reflect on the historical trajectory and immense impact of GPS, it is also an opportune moment to assess the current state of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and explore avenues for future cooperation, particularly with Europe’s Galileo system.
The Pioneering Role of GPS
The origins of GPS can be traced back to 1973 when the U.S. Department of Defense conceived the idea of a satellite-based navigation system. The first GPS satellites were launched just five years later in 1978, ushering in a new era of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities. However, it was the tragic downing of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 by Soviet forces in 1983 that prompted the Reagan administration to make GPS freely available for civilian use worldwide, with the immediate goal of improving aviation safety. This decision proved to be a turning point, as it unleashed a wave of innovation and an explosion of civil and commercial applications in the following decades.
The true military potential of GPS was first demonstrated during the 1991 Persian Gulf War, which came to be known as the first “Space War.” PNT data played a pivotal role in guiding U.S. troops through the desert terrain and enabling precision missile strikes. However, this conflict also exposed vulnerabilities, such as signal jamming, foreshadowing the challenges that GNSS systems would face in the future.
Throughout the 1990s, the dual-use nature of GPS became increasingly apparent with the introduction of in-car navigation systems and other consumer applications. The discontinuation of the selective availability policy in 2000 by the Clinton administration further accelerated the development of innovative GPS-based services. Today, GPS has become an indispensable part of modern life, generating over $1.4 trillion in economic benefits for the United States alone as of 2019.
The Rise of Alternative GNSS Systems
While GPS has long been the dominant player in the GNSS landscape, other nations have recognized the strategic importance of having their own satellite navigation capabilities. Russia’s GLONASS system, which achieved full global coverage in 1995, was the first alternative to GPS. However, it was the emergence of Europe’s Galileo and China’s BeiDou that truly reshaped the competitive dynamics of GNSS.
Galileo, conceived by the European Union in 1999, faced initial opposition from the United States due to concerns over potential interference with GPS signals and security implications. Despite funding challenges and delays, Galileo reached full operational capability in 2016, providing Europe with an independent civilian-controlled GNSS infrastructure.
China’s BeiDou system, which attained global coverage in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced new dimensions to great power competition in the GNSS arena. While GPS benefits from its long-standing leadership position, BeiDou boasts more modern capabilities, such as two-way messaging and a robust ground infrastructure. Importantly, BeiDou serves as a foundation for China’s geopolitical ambitions, including the Belt and Road Initiative and the Digital Silk Road.
Galileo: A Unique Civilian-Focused GNSS Model
In contrast to the military origins of GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou, Galileo was designed from the outset as a civilian infrastructure. This fundamental difference is reflected in Galileo’s governance structure, which emphasizes civilian control and commercial applications. The European Union’s decision to maintain full government ownership of Galileo, rather than pursuing a public-private partnership model, underscores the system’s importance as a symbol of European technological prowess and independence.
The governance of Galileo involves multiple EU institutions, with the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union providing political oversight. The newly formed Defense Industry and Space Directorate General (DEFIS) of the European Commission assumes responsibility for program management, security, and funding. Additionally, the European Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) plays a key role in the operational aspects of Galileo and related programs such as Copernicus (Earth observation) and EGNOS (satellite-based augmentation system).
This centralized governance structure offers several advantages, including the efficient use of shared infrastructure, streamlined financial planning, and the pooling of management resources. In contrast, the governance of GPS in the United States is more fragmented, with over ten federal agencies involved and a lack of clear leadership and decision-making authority. As such, Galileo’s governance model presents an interesting case study for the United States in terms of potential efficiencies gained through centralization.
Galileo’s Emphasis on Civilian Applications and Market Development
Galileo’s functional objectives, as defined by EUSPA, prioritize better positioning and navigation, unique timing accuracy, faster emergency response, and economic growth. These objectives primarily serve two overarching purposes: commercial and political goals. From a commercial perspective, Galileo offers a modern infrastructure with differentiating features like its High-Accuracy Service (HAS). However, it still lacks the extensive operational experience of GPS, as evidenced by a week-long outage in July 2019 that required Galileo to rely on GPS as a backup.
EUSPA takes a proactive approach in supporting civilian users of Galileo by offering complementary services such as best practices training, fostering a user community, and providing market intelligence on Galileo-enabled applications. These efforts are structured around 17 key market segments, ranging from biodiversity to transportation. By maintaining a portfolio of reference projects showcasing use cases in each segment, EUSPA aims to drive adoption and innovation.
The synergies between Galileo’s GNSS services and Copernicus’s Earth observation capabilities, both under EUSPA’s purview, enable the identification of shared market opportunities. EUSPA’s market intelligence reports project substantial growth in GNSS demand over the coming decade, with device revenues expected to nearly double and service revenues projected to increase by more than 150% between 2021 and 2031. The European Space Agency (ESA) has played a crucial role in strengthening the continent’s space industrial capabilities by distributing contracts for design, procurement, maintenance, research, and development to companies across member states.
From a political perspective, Galileo serves as a powerful symbol of the European Union’s technological achievements and contributes to Europe’s global image. While GPS remains the dominant force in the GNSS landscape, Galileo demonstrates the EU’s commitment to technological leadership, political independence, and industrial capability. Moreover, Galileo exemplifies the strength of democracies working together to achieve common goals.
Avenues for Future Cooperation between GPS and Galileo
As the global GNSS landscape continues to evolve, there are several promising avenues for enhancing cooperation between the United States’ GPS and Europe’s Galileo systems:
- Renewal of the US-EU agreement on satellite-based navigation systems: The existing agreement, set to expire in 2026, presents an opportunity to deepen collaboration, address technical and policy challenges, and explore new areas of cooperation.
- Frequency coordination: Opening up the E6 frequency to Galileo in the United States and increasing dialogue in international forums can improve interoperability and mutual benefits between the two systems.
- Joint research and development: Collaborating on the exploration of new technologies, such as lunar PNT experiments, can pave the way for future innovations and partnerships.
- Sharing best practices in governance: The United States can learn from Galileo’s centralized civilian governance model, while Europe can benefit from GPS’s extensive operational experience and resilience strategies.
- Promoting multilateral cooperation: Engaging with other GNSS providers, such as Russia’s GLONASS and China’s BeiDou, can help establish international standards, mitigate risks, and ensure the sustainable development of GNSS technologies for the benefit of all.
Summary
As GPS marks its 50th anniversary, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the system’s remarkable journey from a military tool to a global public good that has transformed countless aspects of modern life. However, the rise of alternative GNSS systems, particularly Europe’s Galileo and China’s BeiDou, has introduced new competitive dynamics and opportunities for cooperation in the GNSS landscape.
Galileo’s unique civilian-focused governance model and emphasis on commercial applications offer valuable insights for the United States as it seeks to streamline its own GPS governance structure and foster innovation. By learning from each other’s strengths, leveraging complementary capabilities, and exploring new avenues for collaboration, the United States and Europe can enhance the resilience, effectiveness, and societal benefits of GNSS technologies for the next 50 years and beyond.