BSNL Cellone launches pilot project in Andhra Pradesh
The BSNL cellone has taken up a pilot project in Andhra Pradesh, India to develop location-based services for cellone subscribers. A gamut of services like Industry “Where Am I” information by various industry services will be provided. Once successful, the services will be introduced in entire South India, said J V Reddy, General Manager, Cellone services, A P Telecom. www.hindu.com

Ukraine might take part in European Space Program
During public hearings of a draft national space program for 2007 – 2011, Deputy Director General of the National Space Agency of Ukraine Eduard Kuznetsov said that some projects of the program might be included into the first European space program, which is presently being drafted, “Cabinet’s press office” reported. Among the projects he first of all mentioned creating a space Ionosat system for comprehensive study of seismic-ionospheric and solar- Earth connections and their impact on technological and biological processes on the Earth. The program is supposed to start in 2010. Among the program’s likely participants were named Poland, Turkey and China. http://en.for-ua.com

India’s Space Commission on comprehensive legal document
With private players gaining easy accessibility to satellite data, India’s Space Commission is working on a comprehensive legal document on issues related to outer space to ensure that internal security is not endangered, informed Mr. G Madhavan Nair, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation and Space Commission. “Remote sensing satellites are focusing on all important installations and a number of agencies like Google Earth are buying such data and placing it in the public domain, which can be a potential danger to internal security,” said Mr. Nair.
www.hindu.com

India, ASEAN sign agreement to boost science and tech cooperation
India and ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) have signed a joint declaration for cooperation in Science & Technology. Mr. Kapil Sibal, Minister fo S&T and Earth Sciences and Dato’ Dr. Jamaluddin Mohd. Jarjis, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia and Leader of ASEAN delegation said that the declaration will not only strengthen the Science & Technology ties between the countries in the region but will also make ways for new horizons.
India has offered ASEAN countries training in space technologies, including remote sensing applications and satellite design, as a part of measures to step up co-operation in the field. India, through the Indian Space Research Organisation, has offered ASEAN countries short-term training programmes in satellite design to help them fulfill their aspirations in the niche field. Besides, satellite design India has also offered access to remote sensing data, including satellite imagery of the region for weather forecasting.
The Heads of Science and Technology Agencies of the State/ Governments of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam and India gathered and met in New Delhi, India on 6th November, 2006 for the 12th Technology Summit and Technology Platform, organized jointly by the Department of Science & Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ASEAN Committee on Science & Technology (COST).
www.financialexpress.com

GPS market expected to be worth US $757B by 2017
Research and Markets, an Irish research firm (www.researchandmarkets.com) has announcd that, in Western Europe the vehicle navigation market is in its initial stages, but there is a strong demand for traffic information and navigation solutions. Countries like USA, Japan, and some others have gained a cumulative shipment of 9.39 million in-vehicle navigation and traffic information units in May 2002. GPS production value globally is expected to grow to $21.5 billion in 2008 ($13 billion in 2003), according to the Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center of the Industrial Technology Research Institute. In 2003, GPS equipment sales was reported to be around US $3.5 billion worldwide, and that annual market could grow to US $10 billion after 2010, acc ording to the report. http://biz.yahoo.com

Garmin enters LBS platform market
Garmin has announced the availability of the Garmin LBS Toolkit, a flexible location-based service platform that can serve as the engine behind third party LBS applications. It incorporates Garmin’s navigation API, local search, real-time content delivery services, and mobile advertising delivery services, into one powerful platform. www.garmin.com

Spectra Precision Laser LG20 Crossbeam Generator
Trimble has announced new Laser portable tools – Spectra Precision Laser LG20 Crossbeam Generator, Spectra Precision Laser HR250 Laser Receiver and Spectra Precision Laser HD50 Handheld Distance Meter.
The easy-to-use, self-leveling Spectra Precision Laser LG20 Crossbeam Generator is a rugged, one-person tool designed for a variety of interior and exterior applications. The LG20 is a highly versatile hand tool that replaces a level, square, plumb bob, chalk, and optical instrument for faster completion and increased accuracy on the job site.
Feature-packed and developed for use with the LG20 CrossbeamGenerator, the optional HR250 Laser Receiver is a versatile, economical laser for longrange interior and exterior applications up to 75 m (250 ft). www.trimble.com

EU’s transport chief eyes military use for satellite system
The European Union should consider employing its Galileo satellite navigation program for military uses in addition to the civilian purposes for which it was designed, the EU’s transport chief said. “Galileo was supposed to be a civilian system only but I wonder whether we shouldn’t question that,” Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot told a conference in Luxembourg. “Using it for military purposes, for defence purposes … would be very interesting in terms of paying for the infrastructure and the
investment,” he said of the multi-billioneuro project.
www.defensenews.com

China’s GI industry to exceed $10 billion by 2010
The geographic information industry is a burgeoning and fast-growing industry. Statistics from overseas authoritative institutions show that since 2000, the annual growth rate of the geographic information industry has exceeded 25 percent. More and more large international enterprises, such as Microsoft and Google.com, have begun to enter into this field. According to a recent report published in the China Economic Net website China has proposed in the Outline of the 11th Five-Year Plan for National Economy and Social Development “to intensify the construction of infrastructures and facilities for surveying and mapping, enrich, develop and utilize the fundamental geographic information resources, and develop the geographic information industry”. The report further says that the total output value (based on incomplete statistics) of China’s geographic information industry reached RMB 26 billion Yuan (more than 3 billion USD) in 2005 and the industry is becoming a rapidly rising burgeoning industry among modern service industries and a new growth point for the economy. The annual total production value of China’s geographic information industry is expected to exceed RMB 80 billion Yuan (more than 10 billion USD) by 2010. http://en.ce.cn

US agency says China used laser to jam US satellite
China has beamed a ground-based laser at US spy satellites over its territory, a US agency says. The action exposed the potential vulnerability of space systems that provide crucial data to American troops and consumers around the world. The Defence Department remains tightlipped about details, including which satellite was involved or when it occurred. The Pentagon’s National Reconnaissance Office Director Donald Kerr has acknowledged the incident, first reported by Defence News, but said it did not materially damage the US satellite’s ability to collect information. “Space is a much bigger part of our military posture than it used to be, so any effort by the Chinese or anybody else to jam our satellites is potentially a big deal,” said Loren Thompson, Defence Analyst with the Virginia-based Lexington Institute. Clearly, the incident sparked fresh concerns among US officials about the US ability to determine if satellite problems are caused by malfunctions, weather anomalies like solar flares, or targeted attacks.
www.theage.com.au