GPS system 'close to breakdown'

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue May 19, 2009 3:11 PM EDT

Article Source: Guardian Unlimited

The satellites are overseen by the US Air Force, which has maintained the GPS network since the early 1990s. According to a study by the US government accountability office (GAO), mismanagement and a lack of investment means that some of the crucial GPS satellites could begin to fail as early as next year.

Published to:

checkerbattery's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: none
Regions: none

Public Discussion (4)

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

1.9

{"commentId":7167416,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}

SteveHouse

But... But how will I find a Jack in the Box when I go to another town???

{"commentId":7167416,"threadId":"582442","contentId":"2838060","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}

1 vote

#1 - Tue May 19, 2009 3:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":7185139,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

This is a necessary fix. What I am curious about is whether the GOP (which of late has been railing about the evils of Socialism) will react to funding this.

GPS is funded by the government for the people, which technically makes it a "Socialist" project :-)

{"commentId":7185139,"threadId":"582442","contentId":"2838060","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

2 votes

#2 - Wed May 20, 2009 12:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":7208268,"authorDomain":"checkerbattery"}

checkerbattery

Didn't GPS start out as a military project? If so and the military still uses the same satellites I'm sure the money will be found somewhere.

{"commentId":7208268,"threadId":"582442","contentId":"2838060","authorDomain":"checkerbattery"}

#2.1 - Thu May 21, 2009 12:05 PM EDT

{"commentId":7230113,"authorDomain":"KateInGreensboro"}

Kate In Greensboro

Maybe all the private industries making money from the technology should ante up, or is capitalism only supposed to reap the rewards after socialism has paid for laying the groundwork?

Need an influx of cash to keep it going? Ask the government to do it. Going to generate some revenue down the road? Yippee!! Line my pockets, baby!

We don't like it both ways, no, not us. No, no, no, no, no, not us.

And we wonder why our kids are confused?

{"commentId":7230113,"threadId":"582442","contentId":"2838060","authorDomain":"KateInGreensboro"}

1 vote

#2.2 - Fri May 22, 2009 10:55 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"582442","isPrivate":false}

CHECKERBATTERY

Backyard

GPS system 'close to breakdown'

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF:

	Protection in the heat of battle \| Afua Hirsch	Guardian Unlimited	Tue May 19	0
	Fossil Ida is a "missing link" in primate evolution	Guardian Unlimited	Tue May 19	8