Re: Experts: GPS system 'close to breakdown'

[Benjamin April <ben_april () trendmicro com>]

Juha-Matti Laurio wrote:
> Funsec people probably have thoughts about this GPS story:
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/19/gps-close-to-breakdown
>
> "US government officials are concerned that the quality of the Global Positioning System (GPS) could begin to 
> deteriorate as early as next year,
> resulting in regular blackouts and failures – or even dishing out inaccurate directions to millions of people 
> worldwide.

I call FUD. A sensible GPS should cease to give directions if the
current EPE (Estimated Position Error) exceeds a reasonable value.
Based on the position of the satellites detected and their relation
to the receiver it can calculate an approximate accuracy.

Lack of satellites could cause outages, it won't direct you to
Seattle when you are headed for Boston.

Ben


> The warning centres on the network of GPS satellites that constantly orbit the planet and beam signals
> back to the ground that help pinpoint your position on the Earth's surface.
>
> 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."
> --clip--
>
> Juha-Matti
>
> _______________________________________________
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