Satellite navigation systems used by millions of people worldwide could become useless next year because the orbiting spacecraft upon which they rely need updating.
Satellite navigation devices rely on GPS for directions
The Global Positioning System (GPS) could collapse as early as 2010 due to a lack of investment in new satellites, the US government accountability office has told Congress.
It blamed the US Air Force, which runs the worldwide system free of charge and is responsible for modernising it, saying it had failed to take the necessary steps to keep the network of satellites running properly.
"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption," the report said.
"If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected."
GPS satellites orbit the planet and beam signals back to the ground to pinpoint exact locations.
The navigate tool on the Nokia N82 phone with an internal GPS receiver and Nokia map
Mobile phones and car sat-navs use the system for maps, route planning and to find specific buildings, such as the nearest hospital.
A breakdown could lead the tools to give inaccurate directions or stop working altogether.
The current GPS IIF system has also overrun its original budget of $729m (£470m) by another $870m (£562m), the GAO report said.
The US Air Force is structuring its modernisation programme, involving new GPS IIIA satellites, in a way that will prevent the mistakes made with the current system.
But the report warned: "If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the US government commits to.
"Such a gap in capability could have wide-ranging impacts on all GPS users, though there are measures the Air Force and others can take to plan for and minimise these impacts."
The first replacement satellite was expected at the start of 2007 but its launch has been pushed back to November this year because of technical problems, nearly three years later than first planned.
Source: GPS Network Could Fail Next Year Leaving Sat Nav Useless, US Government Accountability Office Warns | Technology | Sky News
Satellite navigation devices rely on GPS for directions
The Global Positioning System (GPS) could collapse as early as 2010 due to a lack of investment in new satellites, the US government accountability office has told Congress.
It blamed the US Air Force, which runs the worldwide system free of charge and is responsible for modernising it, saying it had failed to take the necessary steps to keep the network of satellites running properly.
"It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption," the report said.
"If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected."
GPS satellites orbit the planet and beam signals back to the ground to pinpoint exact locations.
The navigate tool on the Nokia N82 phone with an internal GPS receiver and Nokia map
Mobile phones and car sat-navs use the system for maps, route planning and to find specific buildings, such as the nearest hospital.
A breakdown could lead the tools to give inaccurate directions or stop working altogether.
The current GPS IIF system has also overrun its original budget of $729m (£470m) by another $870m (£562m), the GAO report said.
The US Air Force is structuring its modernisation programme, involving new GPS IIIA satellites, in a way that will prevent the mistakes made with the current system.
But the report warned: "If the Air Force does not meet its schedule goals for development of GPS IIIA satellites, there will be an increased likelihood that in 2010, as old satellites begin to fail, the overall GPS constellation will fall below the number of satellites required to provide the level of GPS service that the US government commits to.
"Such a gap in capability could have wide-ranging impacts on all GPS users, though there are measures the Air Force and others can take to plan for and minimise these impacts."
The first replacement satellite was expected at the start of 2007 but its launch has been pushed back to November this year because of technical problems, nearly three years later than first planned.
Source: GPS Network Could Fail Next Year Leaving Sat Nav Useless, US Government Accountability Office Warns | Technology | Sky News
