“…Mild this candle!” – SpaceNews

The Nineties had been iconic: Tremendous Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat dominated the arcades. Whitney Houston’s “I Will At all times Love You” and “Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette topped the charts. Grunge style was all the trend, because of Nirvana and different Seattle Sound bands. Seinfeld dominated the airwaves. And 6 GPS satellites nonetheless in orbit immediately had been designed and constructed, launching into area from 1997 to 2004.

Far exceeding their projected 7.5-year lifespan, the longevity of those and the seven GPS satellites that quickly adopted, is a testomony to the abilities and experience of the engineers who crafted such marvels. Nonetheless, it’s long gone time to replenish our GPS constellation with fashionable positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellites — designed and constructed within the period of Metroid: Prime 4, Taylor Swift and Netflix — that meet the risk atmosphere of immediately and higher put together us for the longer term.

How did we get right here? The Division of Protection (DoD) pursued a “sustainment technique,” protecting older GPS satellites on orbit, whereas publicly touting the constellation’s common lifespan of greater than 20 years. This technique has made it attainable for the Workplace of Administration and Funds, DoD and Congress to deprioritize the GPS program in protection and transportation budgets, authorizations and appropriations. Exhibit A: Three fashionable, next-generation GPS satellites are sitting in storage, awaiting launch. Alan Shepard kicked off American area flight encouraging NASA engineers to “mild this candle” in 1961. We’d like that very same power immediately.

What’s at stake?

Sustainment is just not an efficient acquisition technique in an period of nice energy competitors. The stakes of failing to fund and area the world’s most fashionable PNT satellite tv for pc system structure — which incorporates the satellites, floor stations and navy receivers, aka “consumer tools” — are vital and rising by the day. 

Right here’s what’s at stake for warfighters and civil and shopper customers globally, if the US fails to modernize its PNT infrastructure:

The U.S. is failing to quickly ship its finest know-how to the warfighter. As much as 60 instances higher enhancements in anti-jamming applied sciences for the warfighter supplied by modernized PNT are delayed.

Civilian vulnerabilities enhance. New civil alerts particularly designed for the aviation neighborhood, which might enhance resiliency to jamming and spoofing, will not be operational. Within the meantime, plane flying in Europe, the Center East and the Jap Mediterranean counting on the unique civil GPS sign are dealing with unprecedented ranges of GPS spoofing, impacting crucial methods.

E tu, outage? A few of the 31 satellites on orbit are working on a “single string” and are one step away from failure, placing in danger a big outage for international navy, civil, industrial and scientific customers. Area Pressure operators deserve the nation’s thanks for maximizing the satellites’ helpful life, however it’s previous time to switch them.

Makes an attempt to economize within the brief time period by buying one GPS satellite tv for pc per 12 months (as Congress has proposed within the face of funds caps) relatively than two leads to long run ache for taxpayers, U.S. trade and the nation:

1. Prices go up per satellite tv for pc by $100 million. The construction of the agency mounted worth GPS contract makes clear that it’s financially advantageous for the U.S. taxpayer to purchase two satellites per 12 months at a worth of $250 million per satellite tv for pc. The price of shopping for one satellite tv for pc per 12 months will increase the worth to $350 million per satellite tv for pc.

2. The GPS provide chain is at higher threat. The only supply U.S. atomic clock producer for GPS satellites, which gives the foundational timing alerts, wants an order that helps two satellites bought per 12 months to maintain its manufacturing line open.
3. The U.S. loses geopolitical and technological status, lengthy an indicator of the GPS program. The world has lengthy trusted the U.S. to ship and function a satellite tv for pc constellation that powers their crucial infrastructure and introduced numerous different improvements to their economies and doorsteps. The Trump administration issued a coverage directive in 2021 “…to keep up U.S. management within the service provision, and accountable use of worldwide navigation satellite tv for pc methods, together with GPS and overseas methods.” Questions on whether or not GPS stays the gold customary are disheartening as a result of they level to a decline in international belief of America’s area management.

What may be completed?

A decline in American area management doesn’t must be our future. The Division of Protection can take steps now to modernize and area the nation’s subsequent technology on-orbit PNT structure. 

Launch the three GPS satellites in storage instantly. SpaceX’s Falcon 9, ULA’s Vulcan — it doesn’t matter. Launch them instantly.

Undertake a “launch upon availability” technique for GPS satellites. Storing accomplished, fashionable GPS satellites doesn’t make sense contemplating the vulnerabilities of single string on-orbit satellites, immediately’s threats, or Presidential directives to ship monetary and different efficiencies in authorities operations.  

Fund accelerated upgrades and monitoring capabilities in immediately’s GPS floor station. To ship very important enhancements to public security, Area Pressure operators ought to be capable to monitor the well being of latest civil alerts, together with these designed for the aviation neighborhood, as quickly as attainable. Within the meantime, DoD should proceed operational testing of the GPS floor station improve generally known as the Operational Management Station and resolve technical points uncovered throughout that course of. 

Put older GPS satellites in a graveyard orbit. These which might be working on a single string may be retired to make room for contemporary satellites whereas the nation waits for the GPS floor station improve.

Acknowledge the position of GPS satellites in assembly immediately’s threats: These satellites are designed to fulfill one in all immediately’s high-risk/low-probability threats, as they’re able to detecting nuclear detonations and might proceed to transmit alerts to customers within the occasion of a nuclear detonation.

Combine orbital, sign and spectrum range to extend resiliency. Incorporating alerts from industrial PNT satellites working in low Earth orbit (LEO) that supply this diversification into navy consumer tools – and totally funding these efforts – means warfighters could have entry to top-of-the-line receivers which might be higher capable of function in denied environments.

Congressional oversight issues

Congress should additionally take an important management position in prioritizing the supply of the nation’s fashionable PNT structure. They’ll do that by appropriating funds to purchase two GPS IIIF satellites per 12 months, fund floor station upgrades that monitor the well being of the brand new civil alerts, and totally fund fashionable navy receivers that obtain alerts from PNT satellites with orbital, sign, and spectrum range. They’ll additionally fund PNT satellites that may function in LEO and geostationary orbits to extend resiliency. After they start investing in a subsequent technology of GPS satellites, they have to guarantee they embrace timing, navy, and civil alerts on a single platform to cost-efficiently serve its broad consumer base. 

Historical past Repeats

Alan Shepard famously stated, “…Mild this candle!” when he received pissed off with technical glitches and debates amongst flight engineers about whether or not Freedom 7 must be launched into area in Might 1961. It’s long gone time for the U.S. authorities to ship a contemporary, resilient PNT timing methods structure to the nation that displays its true worth to our nationwide and financial safety. Alan Shepard’s phrases ring true immediately. It’s time to heed them as soon as once more.

Lisa Dyer is the chief director of the GPS Innovation Alliance.

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