Global Positioning System Service Might Not Survive Till Next Year

Global Positioning System (GPS) has recently picked up in India, but the bad news is that it might not last that long, worldwide. The satellite system that forms the basis of its operation has been maintained by the US Air Force since early 1990, but with the current lack of funding and some internal mismanagement, the service might not survive till next year.

These satellites were supposed to be replaced as early as 1997, but no such steps were taken to see this through.

So whose really going to suffer from this? Men who refuse to ask for directions, for starters. However, most application developers who have made GPS-based applications for mobile phones and sundry GPS devices will also be tearing their hair out.

US Government officials foresee failing GPS devices that will give millions of users incorrect directions. But people are certain that the US Government will wake up and do something to prevent this from happening, or at least do something before things get so serious that people need to carry maps on, gasp, paper...

The good thing here is that India, Russia, and China already have the ball rolling on expanding satellite navigation technologies and resources. Meanwhile, if you get lost with your failing GPS device in tow, just roll down your window and ask somebody.πŸ˜’πŸ˜’πŸ˜’πŸ˜’

Replies

  • Ashraf HZ
    Ashraf HZ
    Can't wait for the Galileo project to be finished! 4m accuracy for free use isn't so bad.
  • Predictor
    Predictor
    kunaljd
    Global Positioning System (GPS) has recently picked up in India, but the bad news is that it might not last that long, worldwide. The satellite system that forms the basis of its operation has been maintained by the US Air Force since early 1990, but with the current lack of funding and some internal mismanagement, the service might not survive till next year.

    These satellites were supposed to be replaced as early as 1997, but no such steps were taken to see this through.

    So whose really going to suffer from this? Men who refuse to ask for directions, for starters. However, most application developers who have made GPS-based applications for mobile phones and sundry GPS devices will also be tearing their hair out.

    US Government officials foresee failing GPS devices that will give millions of users incorrect directions. But people are certain that the US Government will wake up and do something to prevent this from happening, or at least do something before things get so serious that people need to carry maps on, gasp, paper...

    The good thing here is that India, Russia, and China already have the ball rolling on expanding satellite navigation technologies and resources. Meanwhile, if you get lost with your failing GPS device in tow, just roll down your window and ask somebody.πŸ˜’πŸ˜’πŸ˜’πŸ˜’
    Do you have a reference or source of this information? The government Web site for GPS mentions none of this, and in fact indicates improving service in the future. I find it highly unlikely that one of the most successful military and commercial technologies would be cut, and further I would imagine that even were the current system to be let go, it would degrade over time, not suddenly "next year".
  • optimystix
    optimystix
    No doubt the Galileo project will be the most advanced navigation system around.

    can anyone tell, what do the countries , who do not have their own navigation system, like India(before jointly collaborating with Russia on GLONASS) use for their scientific and military purposes ??

    The free version of GPS or any other such navigation systems won't be enough for scientific and military purposes. So what do these countries do ?
  • durga ch
    durga ch
    I was wondering cant static maps be used? are Google maps real time or static maps? We quite don't need GPS for them as to obtain the dynamic information - but they are still usable?, if we have them embedded
  • Predictor
    Predictor
    kunaljd
    check this link:Global Positioning System Service Might Not Survive Till Next Year - Tech Quark
    Although they agree with the basic message that the US Air Force (who maintains the GPS system) has been slow to maintain it, I find the following sources both more credible and more optimistic:

    #-Link-Snipped-#

    GAO-Predicted GPS Failure Could Have Drastic Consequences

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