According to the News ...

[Woody]

There will be no more GPS for your car in a few months.

Okay ... that was just the teaser . When I have more updates from F _ _ .... I will give it to you.

[Woody]

Fed Watchdog says that GPS Satellites are headed for a breakdown by early next year.

[Woody]

And Blanche and I just bought our first one last week. It was getting dangerous for her to get lost while doing visitations in dangerous areas. Not to mention the flat tires.

[Woody]

Btw ... do F _ _ reports have to be in the politics section? I do realize that they are subject to controversies.

[GreatLakesGramma]

Did they give an explanation?

I read, a week or so ago, that sunspot activity is increasing. And they made reference to a major solar flare that wiped out telegraph and electrical systems sometime in the 1800s. If it happens again, it will destroy all communications and electrical systems, including satellites. We would be without a lot more than GPS.

[Woody]

I had to answer the phone while the report was on. But from what I gather .... the satellites are getting too old.

[Outta Here]

Well, there's always Rand McNally's and Mapquest for civilians. I do hope the government can sort out the issues of sustaining and upgrading the GPS satellites before it becomes a serious detriment to our defenses.

[Outta Here]

Here's a full report by the Government Accountablity Office: GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM: Significant C...ed Capabilities

[Woody]

Thanks Aubrey. This is a serious issue.

[Neil D]

If it hasn't been reported, I am sure that Nasa will either fix it, or the Spacce agency will launch another satillite or two to fix the other problems...There are too many businesses that are dependant upon knowing where that driver or that boat is....

[GreatLakesGramma]

Yes, I'm sure they will do that. But it takes so long for the behemoth to move....

[Stan]

Something is wrong with mine this morning, it says I am in Canada...

[Key Guy]

I'm in the Conch Republic! Whaaaaaattt!!!!????

[Amelia]

Quote:

Highlights of GAO-09-325, a report to the

Subcommittee on National Security and

Foreign Affairs, Committee on Oversight

and Government Reform, House of Representatives

Why GAO Did This Study

The Global Positioning System

(GPS), which provides positioning,

navigation, and timing data to users

worldwide, has become essential to

U.S. national security and a key

tool in an expanding array of public

service and commercial

applications at home and abroad.

The United States provides GPS

data free of charge. The Air Force,

which is responsible for GPS

acquisition, is in the process of

modernizing GPS.

In light of the importance of GPS,

the modernization effort, and

international efforts to develop

new systems, GAO was asked to

undertake a broad review of GPS.

Specifically, GAO assessed

progress in (1) acquiring GPS

satellites, (2) acquiring the ground

control and user equipment

necessary to leverage GPS satellite

capabilities, and evaluated (3)

coordination among federal

agencies and other organizations to

ensure GPS missions can be

accomplished. To carry out this

assessment, GAO’s efforts included

reviewing and analyzing program

documentation, conducting its own

analysis of Air Force satellite data,

and interviewing key military and

civilian officials.

What GAO Recommends

GAO’s recommendations include

that the Secretary of Defense

appoint a single authority to

oversee development of GPS space,

ground control, and user

equipment assets, to ensure they

are synchronized, well executed,

and potential disruptions are

minimized. DOD concurred with

our recommendations.