The first GPS satellite was launched in 1978, under the direct command of the US military forces. Since then, more then three dozens satellites have been launched on Earth's orbit, servicing not only military and aviation forces but individual private users worldwide. The very existence of the Global Positioning System has in fact claimed the life of more than one GPS satellite, lost during the launch or on the orbit. Some satellites expired, others required replacements for technical purposes, but what matters most is how the technology is applied in the performance of daily tasks. A GPS receiver decodes the signal sent by the satellite and gives the exact location based on latitude, longitude and altitude.
Science has made such progress that GPS satellite navigation is now incorporated in the design of smartphones. People depend more and more on GPS orientation and problems may appear if replacements do not come for the orbiting satellites that will expire in a few years. For the moment, there are management and funding issues that seem to act against the proper reconditioning of the GPS applications. The US Air Force maintains the entire GPS satellite structure, but according to a recent May 2009 report, there are economic difficulties to be overcome.
At present there are some 31 satellites in service and since only four are necessary to get a fix on the position, the average user will not feel a change if some of the orbiting devices fail to work. Sometimes information may get redundant as the same GPS receiver can get simultaneous data from six or eight satellites, which is more than necessary. In the absence of GPS satellite real-time positioning, consumers would have to start using maps all over again. The military, maritime and transportation systems would suffer most if the satellites are not reconditioned.
In order to offer an alternative to the GPS satellite predominance, European states prepare to launch an independent satellite navigation system in 2010. There are other countries that have individual satellite navigation and here we can count India, China or Russia. No matter how things are sorted out in terms of policy, implementation and administration at the global level, the average user will not be affected by the different modifications in the way the GPS satellite communication works. In fact, the number of GPS users will get higher because of people's attempt to improve the efficiency of navigation.
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