GPS system 'close to breakdown'; Network of satellites could begin to fail in 2010...

[f_rice]

GPS system 'close to breakdown' | Technology | guardian.co.uk


It is a rather long article. The moral of it is that the Air Force is in charge of the GPS satellites. They were given billions to update it but overspending and missed deadlines have resulted in the construction of too few replacement satellites.


I travel the country for my job. I cannot imagine life without GPS.......

 

[Common]

Buy a map, that is how Daddy did it!!!

 

[crazyj0n]

Buy a map, that is how Daddy did it!!!

+1 Maps are better than those things anyways...
But is car travel the only thing that is going to be affected?

 

[focussvtracer]

i call :bs:

 

[thomas91169]

sounds exactly like the "Shield of garbage" disaster scenario depicted as one satellite fails and takes out another, and snowballs as more and more debris is flying around up there. And you cant fly through it, nuts and bolts flying around at high rates of speed, it would be like trying to fly through a shotgun birrage.

any satellites on the verge of failing need to be disposed of and replaced. they dont last forever.

 

[Outlaw99]

i can remember....1978...we didnt have cell phones...no one could reach us and we were all still ok.

we were able to drive to our destinations...and made it just fine.

we used lead based paint, and still here.

didnt have car seats....but still breath'n

if gps fails...guess i will just have to write down directions and do it the way its been done for a while.

 

[KingBlack]

 

[TERMIN8U!]

I always liked Maps better

 

[crew_dawg16]

Won't happen, the military relies on GPS for guided weapons.

 

[BigSweezey]

Won't happen, the military relies on GPS for guided weapons.

And timing for the comm gear comes via GPS.(not all but stuff would still be ****ed)

 

[cobra_4]

i can remember....1978...we didnt have cell phones...no one could reach us and we were all still ok.

we were able to drive to our destinations...and made it just fine.

we used lead based paint, and still here.

didnt have car seats....but still breath'n

if gps fails...guess i will just have to write down directions and do it the way its been done for a while.

That actually sounds kinda nice. A road trip where no one could contact you.

 

[Outlaw99]

That actually sounds kinda nice. A road trip where no one could contact you.

+68,000 and pizza

 

[SnkBtn99]

i can remember....1978...we didnt have cell phones...no one could reach us and we were all still ok.

we were able to drive to our destinations...and made it just fine.

we used lead based paint, and still here.

didnt have car seats....but still breath'n

if gps fails...guess i will just have to write down directions and do it the way its been done for a while.

Exactly.

I laugh at those people that can't do shit without their damn GPS. I even know people that have to turn it on to go to the corner grocery store.

Did you ever think that if you don't know where the hell you are driving, then MAYBE you shouldn't be behind the wheel.

Get a life people.

 

[cobra_4]

Exactly.

I laugh at those people that can't do shit without their damn GPS. I even know people that have to turn it on to go to the corner grocery store.

Did you ever think that if you don't know where the hell you are driving, then MAYBE you shouldn't be behind the wheel.

Get a life people.

Yeah that's crazy. I just got one last year for christmas and I mean I like using it on trips but I've found my way plenty of hard places without one. And even when I have one I still have directions and a map for backup.

 

[SolarYellow]

Years ago we were self-reliant unlike today where many people feel the need to stay on the tit.

We lived w/o the internet. We lived with only the atari 2600. We survived when HBO wasn't on 24 hrs a day. Nowadays sucking on the tit is like the umbilical cord needed for life.

 

[SnkBtn99]

I have always said that Americans have become so reliant on technology to help us through our daily lives that one day someone is going to figure out how to hit us right between the eyes and knock out that technology.

We won't even know how to get out of bed.

 

[moddestmike]

I have NEVER used GPS, either a map, memory or navigation skills. Just knowing what direction you are facing and what direction a highway runs can get you a long way. Basic geographical knowledge is all that's needed. I used to get drive around Houston all the time and would get lost but as long as I remembered what direction I came from and what direction I was headed then I was just fine.

 

[Pushrodsnake]

I hate GPS. I travel a lot with my current job and I swear we always get lost when the driver is using a GPS. I just use a map and I get us there every time.

$5.99 road atlas > $300+ GPS navigator.

 

[Smileyboy]

I have NEVER used GPS, either a map, memory or navigation skills. Just knowing what direction you are facing and what direction a highway runs can get you a long way. Basic geographical knowledge is all that's needed. I used to get drive around Houston all the time and would get lost but as long as I remembered what direction I came from and what direction I was headed then I was just fine.

+1 except for the Houston part.

 

[greenstang1313]

mapquest.com is just as easy to use as GPS