GPS: Why our reliance on the Cold War satellite technology is an accident waiting to happen – The Telegraph

March 14, 2018

Written by Editor

Blog Editor’s Note: A good overview article, especially about what is happening in Britain.

GPS: Why our reliance on the Cold War satellite technology is an accident waiting to happen

The Telegraph

Last June, more than 20 ships on the Black Sea noticed something unusual about their satellite-based navigation systems. Instead of their true positions well away from Russia’s south-west border, each ship’s GPS placed it inland at Gelendzhik Airport, a small terminal that serves the picturesque coastal town.

It made no sense. The Global Positioning System (GPS), the network of satellites that we rely on every day, is rarely wrong. When it is, the margin of error is only a few metres. The ships on the Black Sea were 20 miles from Gelendzhik.

There seemed to be only one explanation, although it was not one anybody wanted to countenance: GPS, the navigation and timing system on which the world runs, was being manipulated on a previously-unimagined scale.

There were no prizes as to who the chief suspect was.

Read More

What Can YOU Do? How Can YOU Help?

PNT is the quiet backbone of everything but too many leaders still don’t see the risk.

But you do. You understand the systems, the dependencies, the failure chains. That insight is rare — and it’s exactly what your country needs right now. Contact your government leaders and industry decision-makers and tell them resilient PNT isn’t a feature — it’s the foundation everything else depends on.

Start the Conversation

Use our Resilient PNT Key Talking Points to make the case.

U.S. Advocates

Find your representatives at Congress.gov, then use our email template to reach them in minutes.

When you get a response, let us know. Every conversation strengthens the mission.

More PNT News

“We can track Starlink users…” – Fast Company

“We can track Starlink users…” – Fast Company

Image: Shutterstock What's new: A report that multiple companies are offering governments the ability to geolocate Starlink terminals.  Why it's important: Security concerns - an adversary could target, kidnap, kill, etc. users. Privacy concerns - user location data...

Honeybees teach drones how to navigate without GPS – Cybernews

Honeybees teach drones how to navigate without GPS – Cybernews

Image: Shutterstock What's new: An interesting form of autonomous navigation based on nature. Why it's important: Autonomous systems have an important place in an overall PNT architecture. For some applications they are the best/only method. This system uses just 42...

PNT cyber guidance update – NIST wants your input

PNT cyber guidance update – NIST wants your input

Image: RNT Foundation What's new: Draft updated PNT cyber guidance from NIST. They are seeking public comment and input. Why it's important: PNT and cyber are well intertwined. PNT is an essential tech infrastructure so protecting it from malicious cyber effects is...

GPS Is Not Guaranteed: Impact on ports (Webinar 21 May)

GPS Is Not Guaranteed: Impact on ports (Webinar 21 May)

Image: Shutterstock What's new: A webinar featuring our colleague Matt Shirley. Matt is a professional port pilot and has some interesting insights on maritime reliance on GPS/GNSS, how things could go wrong without resilient PNT, and how things could go better with...

Get PNT News in Your Inbox