Well, this blog post is more of a series of questions than opinions.
I read: Avoiding a Homeland Security Error That Could Leave the U.S. Flying Blind. This article talks about the pre-GPS system that is called Loran that is still used for geographical information by several US and foreign defense institutions and should be maintained/updated to serve as a back up when/if terrorists or other events interfere with our global positioning systems. Does anyone know anything about this?
What other behind-the-scenes systems should be kept? What systems need backups but don't have them? What is just obsolete? I guess this goes out to all my history of technology gurus out there! Can you help me? :)
Best,
Alena
Interestingly enough, anyone with the capability to interfere with GPS signals should have no trouble interfering with LORAN. The US military still places a great deal of value and focus on the use of the map and compass.
ReplyDeleteFrom Kelly:
ReplyDeleteI object to the loss of redundancy systems as it usually indicates a weakening of resilience in the face of disaster. That said, I understand why Obama is trying to save money where he can. As 2010 is supposed to be a year with high solar activity, which has the potential to seriously disrupt satellite feeds including GPS, it will be interesting to see if any resulting problems lead to a reassessment of redundant systems.