Comments on: Lost in Space: GPS System May Soon Begin Deteriorating

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:03:14 +0000

Unimpressive. Let’s face facts, they can launch cookie cutter GPS satellites by the dozen. You don’t need a “new generation” of satellites (not that I’m against progress, but if their program is bunged up, you prioritize). You don’t need the space shuttle. You don’t need ion powered engines. You don’t need anything fancy that hasn’t existed since, well, the 1960’s.

The GPS system is one of the best things the military has done for the world, in civilian life. The system won’t be allowed to languish.

By: Larry Esser

Larry Esser — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:04:52 +0000

RNAV (Area Navigation) uses VORs to create waypoints for air navigation. Even if next-gen ATC system to use GPS, willing to bet it could easily adapt to other systems. In fact, it would be foolish to have it otherwise. This is why VOR system has been kept this long as a GPS backup. So doubt there will be any “grounding” of commercial aviation. The corporate aircraft I fly are perfectly able to be flown without GPS or INS (navigation system using laser gyros, accelerometer, and internal navigation computer) if these systems fail. An older twin I used to fly had an excellent RNAV box, it was always the backup when the GPS would go offline now and then because of an antenna connector problem we later found.

By: Landshark

Landshark — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:44:44 +0000

Uh, anyone order a pizza? spare me the “whoops we forgot to stay on top of it” line. Its just a money grab so they can build a death star. Now open the door, I’m hungry.

By: p

Fri, 22 May 2009 14:59:56 +0000

@ ser sam Maybe they haven’t thought of that yet….mwahahahahaha

By: Ser Sam

Ser Sam — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:50:49 +0000

I wonder if the free-for-all GPS service is not the cause of this deficit. Are they planning to charge for it anytime soon?

By: Brian Knoblauch

Brian Knoblauch — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:57:38 +0000

That’ll be an issue since, from what I’ve read, the whole next generation air traffic control is planned to be totally dependent on GPS. ADF is already being decommissioned, and Loran (basically a ground based system that works like GPS) has now been slated for decommissioning. Rumors have it that VOR based navigation is also up in the air. I hope not, since that would be all that we have left if there was a GPS issue (well, not totally true, private pilots like myself can fly by sectional chart, but the airlines would be grounded since they require instrument flight)!

By: chris

chris — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:07:21 +0000

Obviously your comment has nothing to do with the above article.

Probably just some link to malware.

***
As far as the above article, when I was in the army somebody told me a joke about how the air force vs the army use their budgets.

Army: Uses its budget for maintenance, train troups, and do military actions.

Air Force: Uses its budget for maintenance and training troups. Whenever asked to do military actions they say they need more money.

That’s the joke atleast don’t know the truth of it.

By: George

George — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:55:42 +0000

Live Science (07 January 2009) about 2012, Solar Storm and NASA – A new study from the National Academy of Sciences outlines grim possibilities on Earth for a worst-case scenario solar storm… the next peak in solar activity is expected to come around 2012… The report was commissioned and funded by NASA. Experts from around the world in industry, government and academia participated.
Damage to power grids and other communications systems could be catastrophic, the scientists conclude, with effects leading to a potential loss of governmental control of the situation… When the sun is in the active phase of its 11-year cycle, it can unleash powerful magnetic storms that disable satellites, threaten astronaut safety, and even disrupt communication systems on Earth:
http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2009/01/live-science-about-2012-solar-storm-and.html