{"id":1860,"date":"2009-06-18T05:18:47","date_gmt":"2009-06-18T13:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/?p=1860"},"modified":"2009-06-18T09:17:19","modified_gmt":"2009-06-18T17:17:19","slug":"gps-galileo-and-the-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cogwriter.com\/news\/prophecy\/gps-galileo-and-the-beast\/","title":{"rendered":"GPS, Galileo, and the Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nThe Galileo Logo Contains 12 Stars That Come From an Icon of Mary
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COGwriter<\/a><\/p>\n

As reported previously (USA May Need EU\u2019s Galileo!<\/a>), the US Global Positioning System is having problems.\u00a0 However new problems may also be emerging:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

GPS Satellite Glitches Fuel Concern on Next Generation<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/div>\n
Wall Street Journal<\/strong> – June 17, 2009<\/span><\/div>\n
By ANDY PASZTOR <\/span><\/div>\n
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Technical problems are degrading the accuracy of signals from the last GPS satellite launched by the Pentagon, sparking concerns among U.S. military and aerospace industry officials that the next generation of the widely used satellites could face similar troubles.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Air Force’s Southern California space acquisition center on Tuesday announced that a Global Positioning System satellite, manufactured by <\/span>Lockheed Martin<\/span><\/span> Corp. and launched in March, is experiencing performance problems in orbit. It hasn’t become part of the “operational constellation” of more than two dozen other GPS satellites, and is slated to undergo a battery of tests expected to stretch through October to try to resolve the problems, according to an Air Force news release.<\/span><\/p>\n

The GPS system, which serves both military and civilian users, provides precise time and location coordinates for everything from military missile launches and “smart” bombs to automated bank-teller machines to aircraft, ships and everyday vehicles. The Lockheed satellite is the first to include a new civilian frequency — dubbed L5 — designed for, among other things, use by future nationwide air-traffic control systems. But that signal, part of test package, apparently is interfering with other signals from the satellite and reducing their accuracy, according to industry and Air Force officials. The degraded signals are accurate only to about 20 feet, versus about two feet for typical GPS signals, industry officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The issue is significant, according to these officials, because it could complicate deployment of a new family of <\/span>Boeing<\/span><\/span> Co. GPS satellites currently being built that also feature the L5 signal. Already years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget, the 12 satellites, which are scheduled to replace satellites currently in orbit, could face further testing and delays to ensure that they are free of interference problems. The Boeing satellites have a history of quality-control and manufacturing problems unrelated to the latest concerns.<\/span><\/p>\n

…Air Force brass have begun examining whether Boeing versions of GPS satellites require additional tests and analysis to eliminate concerns, according to industry officials familiar with the details…
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In its release, the Air Force said the routine in-orbit checkout of the suspect Lockheed satellite revealed that some signals “were inconsistent” with comparable GPS satellites. The Air Force also said upcoming tests will include simulations and “testing of real-life GPS receiver equipment to the greatest extent possible” to prevent “inadvertent impacts to GPS users.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The first of Boeing’s GPS IIF satellites, incorporating the new civilian signal, is slated to launch late this year or early 2010, delayed from the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

In May 2008, Lockheed bested Boeing to win a contract worth at least $1.8 billion to build the most-advanced navigation satellites yet, dubbed GPS III, scheduled to go into operation around the middle of the next decade…<\/span><\/p>\n

Concerns over signal quality come barely weeks after a Congressionally-ordered study raised a red flag about potential erosion of GPS accuracy in the next few years due to launch delays and other challenges. If certain launches get delayed up to two years, the General Accountability Office report predicted, the Pentagon could have trouble maintaining the desired fleet of 24 fully-functional GPS satellites in operation. http:\/\/online.wsj.com\/article\/SB124520702464422059.html<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In 2013, the European Union is to have its competing system, called Galileo:<\/p>\n

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Contracts give impetus to Galileo<\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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BBC<\/strong> – June 16, 2009<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
By Jonathan Amos <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n

Europe’s satellite-navigation system has taken a big step forward with the signing of new industrial contracts. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Satellite firms EADS Astrium and OHB have been asked to provide spacecraft components that will be needed for the forthcoming constellation. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And rocket company Arianespace has signed the deal which will loft the system’s first operational platforms… <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The European Commission, which is leading the endeavour, has set aside more than two billion euros to build 26 satellites (plus two spares), buy launch rockets and set up the ground control centres. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Its partner on the venture, the European Space Agency (Esa), is running a procurement contest with the aim of having Galileo up and running by 2013… <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Galileo is expected to improve substantially the availability and accuracy of timing signals delivered from space…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n