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Science & Technology

Doing it "on the cheap" could cause GPS Systems to Fail Next Year, Report Warns

2009-05-19

Mismanagement and underinvestment by the U.S. Air Force could possibly lead to the failure and blackout of the Global Positioning System (GPS), a federal watchdog agency says.

The risk of failure starts in 2010, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report quoted by PC World.

The failure would impact not only military operations, but also the millions of people and businesses who rely on the satellite-based navigation systems built into cars, boats and cell phones.

"If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the U.S. government commits to," the GAO report states.

The report says the Air Force has struggled to build successful GPS satellites within cost and on schedule.

Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC

#14 Oh, dear. If anyone finds the Tsar wandering around, hopelessly lost, please notify me immediately. I'll happily bring him back home.

(I'll go rescue tw too, while I'm at it. ;) )

Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2009-05-19 23:37

#13 I love maps. My geek comes out, I guess. GPS is cool, but I love my USGS maps

But it is fun to plot your position and notice, "Oh, yeah, there's that little gully I'm sitting next to."

Not only that, it's the only every-day, practical application of general relativity.

19th century, meet 21st

Posted by: KBK 2009-05-19 23:21

#12 When I fly, I use GPS, but also keep up my pilotage skills. I have had a GPS wink out over an undercast. No worrys. Plot my position every 15 min on a paper chart.

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-05-19 23:13

#11 I love maps. My geek comes out, I guess. GPS is cool, but I love my USGS maps

Posted by: Frank G 2009-05-19 22:36

#10 Maps are kind of passe, but I personally like 'em. They work fine after I drop them on the floor. Can't say the same for my GPS unit.

Posted by: Zhang Fei 2009-05-19 22:31

#9 I don't use GPS, Hell getting "Lost' is half the fun, once I tool a wrong turn and discovered a parked HUGE locomotive Crane (Self propelled) with it's "Wrecker" Train, I was staring at the behmoth for an hour or so, and took many pictures.

Looked like it would have no absolutely NO trouble lifting a whole derailed locomotive all by itself then setting it on a 20 wheel very heavy flatbed car (Right behind the Crane) and hauling the whole mess away.

Fascinating, I've never seen anything so big.
and all because of a wrong turn.

Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-05-19 21:14

#8 So does moss grow on the north or the south side of the tree?

Posted by: DMFD 2009-05-19 19:26

#7 Save the link. You know, just in case.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-05-19 19:05

#6 "If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else."
Yogi Bera

Posted by: Deacon Blues 2009-05-19 18:39

#5 I know how to use paper maps, and have a bunch.

Maybe I can make some money next year directing people....? :-D

Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-19 18:38

#4 They'll bring me home every day but Saturday? Mr. Wife won't like that much, Besoeker.

Posted by: trailing wife 2009-05-19 16:31

#3 Won't matter. What would you serfs want to get off the plantation for anyway?

-- DNC

Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-05-19 16:31

#2 What if we just eliminate Saturday service?

Posted by: Besoeker 2009-05-19 16:30

#1 If I have to go back to finding things on paper maps there will be trouble. Also full employment, as new teams set out to find me and get me to where I meant to be.

Posted by: trailing wife 2009-05-19 16:22

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