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anon
21.05.09, 18:25
The world's GPS systems could start to fail next year, according to a report presented to Congress. This could cause catastrophic problems for aviation, 911 services and ordinary drivers, as well as the military.

GPS devices calculate their position by comparing time signals from at least four satellites. Because the Earth is spherical, a minimum of 24 satellites is required at all times. There are currently 31 operating, but many are way past their design lifetime.

The GAO predicts a one in five chance that the number will drop below 24 at times in 2011 and 2012, hampering accuracy. This could lead to blackouts and even misdirection of people all over the world.

TG Daily - GPS systems could crash next year (http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-42520-135.html)