MUNICH, Germany — US-based aerospace company Boeing is considering to submit an offer to build the navigation satellites for the European Galileo system. The move would intensify the competition for Europe's ambitious navigation satellite project.
According to media releases here, the company currently is in talks aiming at building all or part of the 26 satellites to be deployed by 2013. While Boeing has not yet made the decision, a potential bid would bring a strong contender into the play. Currently, German satellite builder OHB Technology (Bremen) and EADS subsidiary Astrium are expected to be interested in building the satellites. The volume of the order is estimated at roughly €1 billion (about $1.55 billion).
Industry insiders expect Boeing to file a tender by end of the month. German newspaper Handelsblatt quotes OHB manager Marco Fuchs saying that competition certainly would have a lowering effect on prices. Not least for this reason he expects the EU to favor two contractors instead of just one. "The Americans do it the same way with GPS," Fuchs said.
