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Title: Barack, GPS, and Cutting Loran-C...budget cuts? Post by: WhiskeyGirl on May 19, 2009, 07:30:43 PM Quote There may be about $3.6 trillion in the Obama administration's proposed budget, but that may not include funding for LORAN-C because "it is obsolete technology," according to a report released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) titled Terminations, Reductions, and Savings. Cutting LORAN-C would save $36 million in 2010 and $190 million that would have been spent over five years in support of the system. Operated by the United States Coast Guard, the long-range radio navigation system "for civil marine use in U.S. Coastal areas" is no longer needed, according to the report, because "the federally-supported civilian Global Positioning System (GPS) has replaced it with superior capabilities." The remaining "small group of long-time users" is not seen as reason enough to continue funding and it is the opinion of the OMB that the system "is not capable as a backup for GPS." Federal agencies that rely on GPS "already have backup systems" for their GPS applications, wrote the OMB, but the office appears to concede that a national backup system has yet to be developed. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/obama_budget_cut_loran_200338-1.html (http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/obama_budget_cut_loran_200338-1.html)Quote Navigation Satellites 'On Verge Of Breakdown' http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Technology/GPS-Network-Could-Fail-Next-Year-Leaving-Sat-Nav-Useless-US-Government-Accountability-Office-Warns/Article/200905315284843?lpos=Technology_Carousel_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15284843_GPS_Network_Could_Fail_Next_Year_Leaving_Sat_Nav_Useless%2C_US_Government_Accountability_Office_Warns (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Technology/GPS-Network-Could-Fail-Next-Year-Leaving-Sat-Nav-Useless-US-Government-Accountability-Office-Warns/Article/200905315284843?lpos=Technology_Carousel_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15284843_GPS_Network_Could_Fail_Next_Year_Leaving_Sat_Nav_Useless%2C_US_Government_Accountability_Office_Warns)The Global Positioning System (GPS) could collapse as early as 2010 due to a lack of investment in new satellites, the US government accountability office has told Congress. It blamed the US Air Force, which runs the worldwide system free of charge and is responsible for modernising it, saying it had failed to take the necessary steps to keep the network of satellites running properly. "It is uncertain whether the Air Force will be able to acquire new satellites in time to maintain current GPS service without interruption," the report said. "If not, some military operations and some civilian users could be adversely affected." I wonder how this program was affected by the budget? Perhaps the Chinese or Indians will now provide this technology? Maybe it's not one of the promised, yet to appear, 'green jobs'? |