GPS System Could Fail Next Year

[Jkkinz]

Knew that title would get your attention...I saw this report on Fox news earlier today and thought all of you would find it an interesting read.

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.

[Vlad]

Jim do not worry we will get either GLONASS from Russians or Global-something from EU By the way there still are VORs, some NDBs and good old sectionals.

[Jkkinz]

Vlad,

I am not at all worried, I just liked "THE SKY IS FALLING" reporting by [this particular] news media [outlet].

[Vlad]

I have no time to watch TV do not even know when and what will fail...
But just in case I keep my navigational skills sharp

Originally Posted by Jkkinz

Vlad,

I am not at all worried, I just liked "THE SKY IS FALLING" reporting by [this particular] news media [outlet].

[kentb]

Originally Posted by Jkkinz

Knew that title would get your attention...I saw this report on Fox news earlier today and thought all of you would find it an interesting read.

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.

Those satellites weren't made by Microsoft were they!

Kent

[CJK]

Originally Posted by kentb

Those satellites weren't made by Microsoft were they!

That reminds me of that old joke, "The first thing that Microsoft makes that doesn't s*ck will be a vacuum cleaner."

And now, back to our regularly scheduled Forum...

-- Chris

[N62XS]

Not sure who said it, but he was talking about all of the 24/7 "news" channels.
"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you read". I may have it backwards, but it goes along with the old adage, "Good news is no news".

[Alex]

Originally Posted by kentb

Those satellites weren't made by Microsoft were they!t

No, but they might have been made by these guys:

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=10299

http://images.spaceref.com/news/2003...003_06.lrg.jpg

[Garage Guy]

Originally Posted by Hard Knox

Not sure who said it, but he was talking about all of the 24/7 "news" channels.
"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you read".

Roger that; better to go to the source, which is a recent GAO report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09325.pdf As they say, read the whole thing, but here's a quote:

"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption.... If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals... there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, ...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 report concludes that there is a 10% chance of having fewer than 24 working satellites in the constellation in 2010, and a 90% chance of that in 2017.

--Paul

[DeltaRomeo]

Good link Paul! Thanks for listing that.

b,
dr

Originally Posted by Garage Guy

Roger that; better to go to the source, which is a recent GAO report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09325.pdf As they say, read the whole thing, but here's a quote:

"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption.... If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals... there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, ...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 report concludes that there is a 10% chance of having fewer than 24 working satellites in the constellation in 2010, and a 90% chance of that in 2017.

--Paul