Gov't warns GPS system could begin to fail in 2010
Big government's inefficiency comes in a variety of flavors, and this one could hit your dashboards as early as next year. According to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S.' Global Positioning System (GPS) could begin to experience black-outs and general failures next year due to the delays, mismanagement and underinvestment by the U.S. Air force.
The report states, ""In recent years, the Air Force has struggled to successfully build GPS satellites within cost and schedule goals" and "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."
Not only are we all dependent on a variety of GPS devices – from standard-issue dash-mounted and in-car systems to smartphones – in our daily lives, there's the national security issue. China, India and Russia are working in earnest to get their own systems in place, and considering that the first replacement satellite is expected to be launched in November – three years after its initial deployment date – speeding up future launches is going to come at a significantly higher cost, adding additional complications and red-tape into the mix.
[Source: GAO via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TigerMil 9:06AM (5/20/2009)
LOL...its the old sacred cow/gold watch budgeting issue. The AF and the rest of DOD budget things they want and things that the public/Congress want are thrown in or forced by the budget committees. The relevant committee knows darn well they'll have to force this in...or face the wrath of their soccer mom's and their chelsea tractors who can't find their way to their private schools to drop off little Suzy without their Starbucks and GPS devices....
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naggs 12:02PM (5/20/2009)
how about this
instead of the US tax payer covering the entire thing, we get some of the other first world nations to chip in here
oh and you are welcome
adam1drift 11:29AM (5/21/2009)
the point should be that if companies (yes in the evil capitalist system) were in control here we wouldnt really be having this problem cuz not having the satelites working would effect their (evil) profits...
John 9:06AM (5/20/2009)
The machines are taking over every aspect of our lives.
Funny this story comes out on the eve of Terminator Salvation.
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mapoftazifosho 9:17AM (5/20/2009)
Are you John Conner?
Frank 10:48AM (5/20/2009)
(In an Austrian accent). Yes. If you are John Conner please identify yourself. I wish to termin... ah, meet with you.
Sincerely,
T-800
Kitko 9:23AM (5/20/2009)
I guess we've just got to a civilizational peak and go down from now onwards. First, we'll have to go back to using maps, then autoblog we'll be posting paper copies to subscribers and, before we know it, we'll be wearing next to nothing and hunting ferral cats :-)
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geo.stewart 9:29AM (5/20/2009)
Does that mean I'll be able to start classes on teaching people to read maps? Or will google maps, mapquest and the like start charging for directions?
LOL
Kitko 10:12AM (5/20/2009)
I guess they'll make sure they have North, South, West and East patented by then :-)
jim 9:29AM (5/20/2009)
Perhaps there needs to be a user fee for civilian use of the GPS network with the proceeds going to maintain and upgrade a network for civilian use.
Unless you believe that someone else should pay for it.
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BoxerFanatic 9:42AM (5/20/2009)
you, and lots of someone elses are already paying for it... it is called TAXES.
Civilian GPS is small side-bar task for a military program. The satellites broadcast their sync/timing signals regardless of whether a military device is using the signal, or a civilian device is using the signal. It isn't as if a GPS uploads to the satellite, and it does the calculations. The receiver does, when it receives a time signal from several sources, it triangulates. WOOOO....
And obviously the red-tape bureaucracy is sucking up all the money, so the hardware is being delayed. Gee, what a shocker, Government bureaucracy, including some military stuff, is mired in red tape and cost over-runs...
Maybe some folks should get on the stick, and decide what is worth paying for, and what red tape obstacles need to be cleared for that to happen.
JDC 10:41AM (5/20/2009)
"Perhaps there needs to be a user fee for civilian use of the GPS network with the proceeds going to maintain and upgrade a network for civilian use."
There is, jim. It's called taxes.
naggs 12:05PM (5/20/2009)
how about we just charge all the other countries for its use?
we own and operate the entire thing, and have been giving it away because we are nice
time to get to work china
Motor_Yakuza 9:30AM (5/20/2009)
I think I will start looking for those ol' paper maps.
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geo.stewart 9:31AM (5/20/2009)
I would say that since we are buying devices from companies that rely on the sats, we are already paying a fee. Maybe TomTom and Magellan should be paying a royalty.
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Rich 9:41AM (5/20/2009)
RTFA everyone. The military needs this. Don't for a second think that military use of GPS is in any way similar to civilian use. If GPS fails, then much of our precious investment in military technology also fails.
We already pay a fee. Check your pay stub. Why would I want to pay twice?
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Rick C. 10:29AM (5/20/2009)
Exactly. So much of the command and control of the modern military relies on GPS. So I wouldn't take this story too seriously. They would never allow mulitbillion dollar weapons systems to become useless overnight. Something else is going on, whether it be political or what, and this is the scary scenario they're hawking to get their way.
akboss302 9:47AM (5/20/2009)
Ha ha ha. I don't know why, but I find it hilarious when technology fails. There is going to be a giant outpouring of angry people who have invested hundreds, even thousands of dollars in state-of-the-art GPS systems, but could have just as easily used a $5 foldy-map. It sucks for them, but why pay so much for the convenience (or more likely bragging rights) of having a screen in your dash that will surely look outdated in a few years? I can buy a new map every 5 years that is functional, accurate, and (if used properly) less distracting.
The part that isn't funny is the more significant non-consumer uses of GPS. I don't know what those are, but I can imagine that some elements of necessity or sustenance of quality of life are built on GPS technology - city planning, tourism, etc.
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gouzizi 9:50AM (5/20/2009)
by 2010. We (in Europe) will have our own system "GALILEO" and will no longer used the american GPS system for newer localisation application.
The world market will be split between the GPS and GALILEO system.
Good luck to GPS for commercial application if it start to fail...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_(satellite_navigation)
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Alekc 2:50PM (5/20/2009)
Actualy, there is already Glonass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLONASS) which covers whole russian federation territory, and it needs only 8 more sats for covering the world.
Gallileo has had some budget issues if i recall correctly.