How Reliable Is GPS?

Fear of problems with the GPS

Author: Stig Kristoffersen

Fear of problems with the GPS

As of next year you will get problems with your GPS. The reason for this is that old satellites administrating the GPS system are not exchanged with new ones.

It is claimed from several sources that several satellites will stop working in the period form 2010 to 2016. When this happens, the GPS system will become gradually more unreliable.

In order to be accurate, the GPS system relies that a minimum of 24 satellites continuously working together. It is uncertain whether the US airdefence will get new satellites fast enough to maintain full power on the system without any discontinuity.

The GPS system gives users all over the world information about position, navigation and time, and has become totally necessary for many countries security systems. It is also a key link in more and more services offered to customers all over the world.

The US airdefence has the responsibility to maintain components to the GPS system as it is today, but it is unclear whether the US airdefence will be able to replace old satellites with new ones in time to avoid disruption in the services in the near future.

This brings on the question whether we should rely only on one country and that they will maintain such a critical infrastructure, used both in public as well as private services. GPS has become critical for national security services and used for preventive as well as operational activities.

European efforts have been made to launch Galileo, which would be supplementary to the US based GPS system working today. However, several obstacles have been met, and yet this system is not operational.

About the Author:

He has a background as civil engineer and geoscientist. He has worked mainly within the oil and gas industry from the mid 1980s. He has written a few fictional novels as well as being the author of some professional litterature within oil and gas sector, he is now an editor of some web sites.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Fear of problems with the GPS