Future GPS Problems

[RETG]

For those not aware....
It appears the FCC is going to give a company, Lightsquared, the rights to the frequency next to the L1 used for GPS. Lightsquared is developing a LTE network.

This could totally screw up any GPS units currently in use, and that includes those used by Pilots and on cell phones

Battle with cell phones for bandwidth worries GPS industry - KansasCity.com

Coalition to Save Our GPS

 

[PolyOlefin]

You should read about the "Kessler effect". The ridiculous amount of space debris makes satellite launches more difficult... space debris crashes into each other, making exponentially more space debris. It destroys satellites and increases the cost of future satellite deployment, and it's theorized that penetrating this layer will eventually become impossible.

In a nutshell, we're talking about a future where GPS outtages are commonplace due to this phenomenon. Russia and Japan are planning space operations that will attempt to clear some debris within the next 15 years, but nothing is certain.

This is the ESA's graphical depiction of all of the space objects in low-earth orbit (both active and inactive):

Approximate figures:

• 15,500 pieces over 4" in size
• Over 100,000 pieces under 4" in size

Scared yet?