Why GPS Should Embrace Privatization To Avoid Obsolescence – Forbes

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May 24, 2022

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Blog

Written by Editor

Blog Editor’s Note: An interesting thought piece.

In the long run, there are probably much less expensive and more capable satnav options than GPS, both for civilians and warfighters.

And if we are going to do head in that direction as a nation, we should do it as a part of the integrated National PNT Architecture DOD and DOT described in 2008. One with space and terrestrial assets that reinforce each other and help ensure all Americans always have the vital PNT services they need when and where they need them.

Getting there, though, will take prolonged government attention, leadership, and some amount of funding.

At the moment, we don’t see many indications of the kind of concern within the administration that would be needed for such an effort.

SCIENCE

Why GPS Should Embrace Privatization To Avoid Obsolescence

Charles Beames

Contributor

I write about the future of the commercial space industry.

Apr 29, 2022

Most people think they have GPS in their iPhone, but they do not. What is in our smartphones is a component that’s just a small part of a vast architecture of satellites and ground stations, all of which were built, deployed, and maintained by the US Air Force during the Cold War to assure military navigation during a nuclear Winter. The Space Force continues maintaining this capability for the nations today, at a cost of about $2B annually courtesy of the American taxpayer.

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.

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