Re: Failure or test scenario?
Being able to test an unstable orbit is a very good thing. So far many of the NavStar sats have ended up in less than perfect orbits and they have to be shut down if they don't go over the right earth based tracking systems. The Galileo system doesn't have that limitation so constant re calibration can be done and their prediction models can be updated to compensate for it which would give it a slight advantage over existing NavStar sats. The only way these sats would save fuel in upcoming launches is if they didn't but a decent multi-scheme GPS receiver on board. These stats aren't being positioned within the specs of a space based system (i.e. put them within a meter of so of their orbit), they are being put in an orbit that can be described by a 3d mathematical model using something like a 12th order polar coordinate polynomial. The orbits are already perturbed by the moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and a few other factors that were detected by Gravity Probe B. Newtonian orbit wonkyness is trivial compared to the rest.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
