GPS systems could crash next year
Washington, DC - The world's GPS systems could start to fail
next year, according to a report presented to Congress. This could
cause catastrophic problems for aviation, 911 services and ordinary
drivers, as well as the military.
GPS devices calculate their position by comparing time signals from
at least four satellites. Because the Earth is spherical, a minimum of
24 satellites is required at all times. There are currently 31
operating, but many are way past their design lifetime.
The GAO predicts a one in five chance that the number will drop
below 24 at times in 2011 and 2012, hampering accuracy. This could lead
to blackouts and even misdirection of people all over the world.
The US Government Accountability Office
(GOA) blames mismanagement and lack of investment. In recent years,
says the report, the Air Force has encountered technical difficulties
and problems with contractors. As a result, the program has overrun its
cost estimate by about $870 million, and the launch of its first new
IIIA satellite has been delayed until November - almost three years
late.
Presenting the report, Cristina T Chaplain, Director of Acquisition
and Sourcing Management for the GAO, said that both the military and
civilian users could suffer. "The military could see a decrease in the
accuracy of precision-guided munitions that rely on GPS to strike their
targets," she warned. "Intercontinental commercial flights use
predicted satellite geometry over their planned navigation route, and
may have to delay, cancel, or reroute flights. Enhanced 911 services,
which rely on GPS to precisely locate callers, could lose accuracy
particularly when operating in urban canyons or mountainous terrain."
The report recommends that the Secretary of Defence appoint a single
authority to oversee the development of the GPS system. The Department
of Defence has agreed.
Source
TGDaily