(Leica Geosystems: St. Gallen, Switzerland) -- By the end of this decade, four independent global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) will be operational. Today only the American GPS system is fully operational, and the Russian GLONASS system is rapidly approaching full operational status. These two systems will soon be complimented by the European Galileo system, and the Chinese Compass system. A four-constellation GNSS is just around the corner to deliver improved GNSS performance and efficiency.Today, only the American GPS system is fully operational while the Russian GLONASS system is rapidly approaching full operational status. The current deployment of Chinese “BeiDou” and European AltBOC GNSS systems test satellites means that navigation and positioning service will be in place before 2010.

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