1st GALILEO Signal to Port of Rostock

Image courtesy ESAWith the support of Galileo the navigation within the harbour basin and the ship canal will be made safer. Galileo is the new European satellite navigation system, which is presently being developed as an enhancement and extension of the US government operated GPS system. Galileo permits the integration of terrestrial master stations, so-called "Pseudolites", for local improvement of the accuracy or as replacement for missing satellite signals.Manfred Lehde, Managing Director of RST explained: "The first propagation of the Galileo signals of a ground-based station is an important step for the region in the setting up of the research port of Rostock. In the course of the next year the development of the navigation infrastructure is to be continued with additional master stations." The goal of RST is to improve the exact and safe navigation of ships under difficult conditions within the range of the ship canal and the harbour basin."Hence we will use our entire know-how to support this", added Lehde. With the project "GAMMA" (Galileo Augmented Motion into Maritime Application) the development of applications for both ship and goods on land and sea will become a priority. This project serves the economic development of the region as a technology location and is supported by the Ministry of the region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern."Exact positioning and precise controlling of ships via satellite navigation will make navigation safer, particularly within highly critical locations such as coastal areas or ship canals" stated Dr. Otto Ebnet, the Minister of Economics of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rostock is on a good way to be a reference project for maritime satellite navigation and communications in the Baltic Sea region."With Galileo new economic possibilities will arise in the areas of transport, logistics, agriculture and tourism". The goals announced in the spring of 2006 are now being realised and tested close to real conditions.With the support of two shipping companies Scandlines and Moeller, a first test will be undertaken on 9th August to measure the reception quality in the area of Rostock Port. EADS RST is a 100% subsidiary of EADS. EADS RST Rostock System Technik Ltd. is located in Rostock since 1977.The company is successfully working in the business fields of aerospace, space and industry. The main products and services are: Cabin Crew Trainer and equipment, Project management, Mechanical design, Electrical and Electronic Design, Software solutions and applications for aerospace.

Author: Udo de Vries

Bio.: RST Rostock System-Technik GmbH

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www.rst-rostock.de