Image: GPS.gov
What’s new: Several new PNT efforts by the current U.S. administration.
Why it’s important: Government attention and leadership to this national, homeland, and economic security issue is essential.
What else to know: RNT Foundation President Dana A. Goward is the author of the below.
U.S. Administration Re-Engaging Public on PNT
GPS.gov refreshed, CGSIC rescheduled.
When the current administration took office, many were concerned public engagement in GPS and other PNT issues would decline.
The concern was based on several actions the administration took early on. Updates to the GPS.gov website were halted shortly after the inauguration. A meeting of the Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC), normally held at the same venue and just before the Institute of Navigation’s GNSS+ conference, was cancelled. And the charter for the National Space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board (PNTAB) was allowed to expire.
Recently, however, there are many indications that the administration’s interest in PNT has changed. The include:
A Renewed Focus on GPS.gov
The GPS.gov website has been revamped with a completely new look. The updated format and look is a hopeful sign, though a quick review shows many items still need updating. Also, budget and funding documentation are not provided. Some budget information for previous years is available through a link to the old website, which has been archived.
The CGSIC Meeting was Announced for 2026
The meeting will take place on April 20 and 21, 2026, at U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters in Washington, D.C. This is the same week as the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space symposium at National Harbor and may make travel to the nation’s capital more efficient for some participants. The email announcing the meeting said further information would be available on the group’s page at GPS.gov, though as of this writing that page has not been created.
Engagement from DOT and FCC
U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Steven Bradbury seems very engaged and concerned about PNT issues. Bradbury is co-chair of the National Space-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Executive Committee. He introduced and spoke at length at a GPS history event at George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute earlier this year. He also gave introductory remarks at the recent PNT Leadership Summit in Baltimore hosted by the RNT Foundation and Inside GNSS+.
One more positive indicator is the Notice of Inquiry (NOI) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published earlier this year. Technically, the FCC is an independent agency and not part of the executive branch. However, FCC Commissioners are appointed by the President, and the chairman normally has strong connections to the White House. The NOI generated over 140 public comments and more than 1,300 pages of material on PNT issues.
What’s Next
While the PNTAB has not yet been rechartered, other indications are that GPS and PNT issues are very much on the administration’s radar. Commercial, non-profit and individual members of the PNT community are eager to see what this means for policies and systems.
