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GPS satellite system ‘close to breakdown’ and could fail by 2010 - leading motorists straight into trouble
The U.S. government has warned that the worldwide network of satellites that make up the Global Positioning System (GPS) could fail by 2010 - affecting millions of people around the globe.
Many are already dependent on the satellite navigation network that beams precise directions from A to B directly into users’ cars or on their mobile phones.
But mismanagement and a lack of investment means the 20-year-old system could lead consumers into nothing but trouble.
The first replacement satellite was supposed to be launched into space in 2007 - but won’t be ready until November of this year, nearly three years too late.
And it is unclear whether the satellites currently in orbit will be able to keep the system running smoothly in time for their replacements to arrive.
The satnav system could begin to fail by as early as next year, according to a study by the U.S. government accountability office (GAO).
Hapless motorists caught in unusual and often dangerous accidents are already a common side effect of reliance on GPS, with the AA reporting that one in three motorists are already sent the wrong way by satnav.
But the possibility of a system-wide failure leads to the prospect of millions more being put in danger.
And it could open the door to systems funded by other countries - like Europe’s Galileo network.
The EU-funded system was designed to rival the American network and is due to be launched next year - hopefully just in time for the fallout from the predicted failure of GPS.
The network of GPS satellites constantly orbit the planet and beam signals back to the ground that help pinpoint your position on the Earth’s surface.
They are overseen by the U.S. Air Force - which was slammed by the GAO in its report to Congress today for failing to keep the system up to date.
Though the Air Force is spending some £1.3billion to bring the system up to scratch, the GAO claimed that constant delays and overspending have put the entire system in danger of failure.
It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption,’ said the report, according to the Guardian.
The impact could be significant - both in terms of national security and defence, and everyday life.
Militaries across the world could suffer from the damage to their ability to map, track hostile targets, and gather intelligence.
As well as being used in helping drivers find their directions with satnav, GPS technology is also used to monitor offender’s whereabouts with electronic tagging devices.
But between Galileo and the Air Force, there is still hope.
‘I’d be surprised if anyone in the U.S. government was actually OK with letting it fail,’ Tom Coates, the head of Yahoo’s Fire Eagle system, told the Guardian. 'It’s too useful".</font id=“Comic Sans MS”></font id=“blue”>
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