Are GPS satellites really on the verge of failing?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dan Goldman <dangoldman () gmail com>
Date: May 19, 2009 4:38:56 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Are GPS satellites really on the verge of failing?

Bob Frankston suggested I send this over to the list.

I came across this article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/19/gps-close-to-breakdown

Apparently the GAO has found that the U.S. Air Force has mismanaged  
their stewardship of the GPS satellites/system and failures could  
happen starting in 2010.

One interesting snippet:

"Tom Coates, the head of Yahoo's Fire Eagle system – which lets users  
share their location data from their mobile – said he was sceptical  
that US officials would let the system fall into total disrepair  
because it was important to so many people and companies. "I'd be  
surprised if anyone in the US government was actually OK with letting  
it fail – it's too useful," he told the Guardian."

I hope Mr. Coates is right but really, I can't say I have total  
confidence in  government program management.


Anyone have insight into this - is this just an alarmist article or  
has the Air Force really messed this up?


-dan





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