UK reportedly plans its own satellite navigation system

[BMD]

UK reportedly plans its own satellite navigation system

UK reportedly plans its own satellite navigation system

AFP/Getty Images

Now that the UK likely won't be involved in the EU's Galileo positioning satellites, it's in a tough spot. How does it get the most accurate navigation technology it can once Brexit is official? By building its own satellite network, apparently. Sources talking to The Telegraph claim that Prime Minister Theresa May has ordered the creation of a UK-built satellite positioning system, with up to £100 million (about $128.5 million) set aside for "mapping out" how it would work.

An official announcement could happen as early as this week, according to the insiders. It's not clear when the country would want an operational network, although that's likely to depend on the results of the initial study.

Any self-developed network is likely to be expensive (one estimate put it at £3 billion), and it's easy to foresee opposition to the plan if made official. The country does have strong incentives to build its own satellites instead of relying on others, though. The UK might not have access to Galileo's most accurate encrypted signal, and the US reserves its most accurate GPS data for its own military. An in-house system may be the only way to get the kind of location accuracy and security British armed forces would want.

 

[Guynextdoor]

 

[advaidhya]

UK does not have a ballistic missile or space vehicle which is indigenously made. How can UK get a satellite system of 24 satellites for $3.7 billion? The development cost for developing a satellite launcher itself would be higher than that. The only way they can get 24 satellites for $3.7 billion along with ground stations is if UK asks India to build and launch satellites at low cost.

 

[Guynextdoor]

UK does not have a ballistic missile or space vehicle which is indigenously made. How can UK get a satellite system of 24 satellites for $3.7 billion? The development cost for developing a satellite launcher itself would be higher than that. The only way they can get 24 satellites for $3.7 billion along with ground stations is if UK asks India to build and launch satellites at low cost.

Uk will retaliate by becoming a space power
(I was laughing at Europe not uk and what they have lost

 

[BMD]

We've put lots of satellites up in the past, I imagine we'll use the same method. £15bn/year in tariffs on EU imports should nicely cover it, even without the £11bn saving in EU funding. We could put Sadiq Khan on the moon for that price.

Afterwards we'll control our own GPS system, which is something no EU nation can say.

 

[Guynextdoor]

We've put lots of satellites up in the past, I imagine we'll use the same method. £15bn/year in tariffs on EU imports should nicely cover it, even without the £11bn saving in EU funding. We could put Sadiq Khan on the moon for that price.

Afterwards we'll control our own GPS system, which is something no EU nation can say.

True buddy, true. But weren't you going to put that money in NHS?

 

[lcafanboy]

The only way they can get 24 satellites for $3.7 billion along with ground stations is if UK asks India to build and launch satellites at low cost.

Or may be if UK wants to save some money they can buy cheap low quality chinese satellites and ground stations, if quality is not a concern. Even if one or two fails or fall of the sky they can still buy new ones cheaply....

 

[Volcano]

If Britain is looking for a regional system, it can be probably done in $3.7 Billion.Not sure about that either.

If they are looking for a global network, 3.7 Billion won't be enough.

 

[Bharath]

We've put lots of satellites up in the past, I imagine we'll use the same method. £15bn/year in tariffs on EU imports should nicely cover it, even without the £11bn saving in EU funding. We could put Sadiq Khan on the moon for that price.

Afterwards we'll control our own GPS system, which is something no EU nation can say.

sounds so much like some country building a wall and the neighbors paying for it

see, if UK imposes tariffs on imports from EU, you are effectively taxing your own importers (and by extension/ consumers/citizens) for your GPS.

and yeah - as @Guynextdoor pointed out - there is a lot of money needed by the NHS.

 

[BMD]

True buddy, true. But weren't you going to put that money in NHS?

The money for the NHS was quoted from the £11bn EU funding, not the collection of £15bn in WTO tariffs, or the reduction in tuition fee payments for EU students, or the reduction in benefits payments as some EU folk leave, or the reduction in prison costs as we return trash to senders.

 

[BMD]

sounds so much like some country building a wall and the neighbors paying for it

see, if UK imposes tariffs on imports from EU, you are effectively taxing your own importers (and by extension/ consumers/citizens) for your GPS.

and yeah - as @Guynextdoor pointed out - there is a lot of money needed by the NHS.

Except the numbers are very real. If EU imports to the UK continued we would collect £15bn in tariffs under WTO, and/or create jobs by replacing some of those imports. Also see my post above, we have lots of other hidden costs aside from the £11bn EU funding fee (several thousands EU prisoners and students being paid for). And if there is no deal, the £40bn we promised to give the EU to cover existing projects is also off and can be spent elsewhere.

It's only right that people buying foreign imports pay the cost of trade rather than the taxpayer subsidising it for them. I should not have to subsidise people's BMW and Audi purchases.

There is and I've also covered that one above. We also have a £17bn foreign aid budget to dip into if things get really bad and an NIIP of $575bn. Basically we have no reason to give a shit as a country, it's just the people with vested interests in exports to the EU or cheap/slave labour that are whimpering and throwing shit everywhere.

 

[Guynextdoor]

sounds so much like some country building a wall and the neighbors paying for it

see, if UK imposes tariffs on imports from EU, you are effectively taxing your own importers (and by extension/ consumers/citizens) for your GPS.

and yeah - as @Guynextdoor pointed out - there is a lot of money needed by the NHS.

If you read the comments in news outlets that’s what a lot of brits are asking for. (Very) little Britain is finally emerging like many people there wanted. Britain

 

[Guynextdoor]

The money for the NHS was quoted from the £11bn EU funding, not the collection of £15bn in WTO tariffs, or the reduction in tuition fee payments for EU students, or the reduction in benefits payments as some EU folk leave, or the reduction in prison costs as we return trash to senders.

Yes. Besides without pesky European bank rules you can always print 15 billion. With an economy your size I’m sure no one will notice.

 

[BMD]

Yes. Besides without pesky European bank rules you can always print 15 billion. With an economy your size I’m sure no one will notice.

We always did have the ability to print money but it's best avoided.

 

[BMD]

sounds so much like some country building a wall and the neighbors paying for it

The US could pull out of NAFTA at any time and the Mexico really would be paying for it, or at least be paying enough to build a wall subject to congressional approval. I'm all for the Jurassic World idea of training Velociraptors to hunt drug mules in the border tunnels, or search lorries from France.

 

[Ironhide]

Why is everyone laughing here on this news, this is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration between India and UK, ISRO set up the NAVIC 7 satellite regional system for $327 Million, we are adding 4 more satellites for expanded coverage and thus the total cost will be less than $500 Million.

So, even after taking profit margin into account, India can do a deal with UK for $2 Billion for a 24 satellite Global network, this will be a win-win scenario for both the countries, UK can boast to EU about their independent navigation system and India can boast about their space exports. What do you say? @BMD

 

[randomradio]

This is a good opportunity for India, if we bag the deal to launch many of the British satellites.

 

[jetray]

why do they need sats for an island , why not use air balloons

 

[advaidhya]

Or may be if UK wants to save some money they can buy cheap low quality chinese satellites and ground stations, if quality is not a concern. Even if one or two fails or fall of the sky they can still buy new ones cheaply....

Indian satellite is cheaper than Chinese ones. In arena of satellites, India is cheaper than China.

If Britain is looking for a regional system, it can be probably done in $3.7 Billion.Not sure about that either.

If they are looking for a global network, 3.7 Billion won't be enough.

Global network means 24 satellite + ground launch station + ground control stations + satellite manufacturing + manpower and expertise to solve problem.

This is going to be much more expensive than $4 billion

Why is everyone laughing here on this news, this is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration between India and UK, ISRO set up the NAVIC 7 satellite regional system for $327 Million, we are adding 4 more satellites for expanded coverage and thus the total cost will be less than $500 Million.

So, even after taking profit margin into account, India can do a deal with UK for $2 Billion for a 24 satellite Global network, this will be a win-win scenario for both the countries, UK can boast to EU about their independent navigation system and India can boast about their space exports. What do you say? @BMD

Global satellite system will need 24 satellite, over 3 times as much as NAVIC. In addition, ground control station is needed. The cost will exceed $4 billion. The launch of PSLV C28 for UK having 1.44 ton payload was charged at $28 million Euros for 750km LEO orbit. The cost has increased due to inflation. The cost to 36000km GEO will be much higher for same payload. The launch cost itself would be $2 billion or more. The cost of making satellites and ground station will also add up to few billion dollars.

 

[BMD]

Why is everyone laughing here on this news, this is a wonderful opportunity for collaboration between India and UK, ISRO set up the NAVIC 7 satellite regional system for $327 Million, we are adding 4 more satellites for expanded coverage and thus the total cost will be less than $500 Million.

So, even after taking profit margin into account, India can do a deal with UK for $2 Billion for a 24 satellite Global network, this will be a win-win scenario for both the countries, UK can boast to EU about their independent navigation system and India can boast about their space exports. What do you say? @BMD

We only really need the launch site, designing the satellites is no problem, we do a lot of that already.