Coming soon: Global navigation for consumers
Military satellite system to go public
March 29, 1996
Web posted at: 11 p.m. ESTFrom Correspondent Carl Rochelle
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Within the next decade or so, civilians might be able to find their way around by accessing the Pentagon's sophisticated global navigation system.
The Clinton administration announced Friday that the government will remove military restrictions from Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology, the powerful navigation tool that has been mostly restricted to the U.S. military.
The announcement clears the way for companies to start working on bringing the satellite technology to the general public.
The satellite system, also known as GPS, is already in use in some commercial applications. Rescue squad vehicles have it, some aircraft and ships use it for navigation, and land surveyors are also finding GPS a helpful tool. But for the general public, GPS systems are still an expensive novelty.
The technology has enormous untapped commercial potential -- it could lead to pocket-sized devices that will tell you where you parked your car, then tell you how to get home.
To protect national interests, the Pentagon impairs the navigational signals released by the satellites so as to limit their use outside the military. The satellites are considered a powerful military tool, and were credited for much of the success U.S. troops enjoyed in Desert Storm, where GPS helped them navigate around the desert. GPS was also essential to the rescue of Air Force fighter pilot Scott O'Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia.
But the Pentagon said that over the next decade, it would stop impairing the navigational signals, and new technology will be brought in to protect national security instead. The Clinton administration says the move should quadruple sales of the systems to $8 billion a year and create 100,000 new jobs by the end of the century.
Moreover, the U.S. government plans to maintain the satellite network at no cost to commercial users anywhere in the world. GPS manufacturer Robert Trimble of Trimble Navigation saw that proviso as the key point in Friday's announcement.
"The big deal about today's announcement is the assurances that are given to other foreign, sovereign powers that the U.S. intends to provide GPS free of charge for the foreseeable future to the rest of the world. This allows foreign governments to put GPS in their infrastructure, and it basically doubles the market access," said Robert Trimble of Trimble Navigation, a company that manufactures the systems.
Unimpaired, GPS will let a person pinpoint his location anywhere in the world to within three feet (about a meter). The more accurate GPS system will be available for cars, airplanes, trains, trucks, ambulances -- and even hikers.
"Today, not many Americans know what GPS is. Five years from now they won't know how they ever lived without it."
-- Transportation Secretary Federico Pena
Vice President Al Gore drew laughter from his audience Friday when he described the future with Global Positioning Satellite systems.
"There are women in this room who years from now, will tell their grandchildren, 'You know, when I was a young woman we didn't have these dashboard displays, and your grandfather refused to stop and ask directions,'" he said.
The heart of the GPS industry is in California, a state whose votes are crucial to the president's re-election campaign. According to the White House, many of the new jobs will benefit that area, a fact that didn't escape President Clinton. He called California radio stations to make sure they didn't miss the message.
Related Sites
- GPS-36 - NASA
- The Global Positioning System (GPS)
- GPS: NAVSTAR Global Positoning System
- GPS OPERATIONS - Navy Operations
- Overview of Entire Constellation: An overview of the current (updated often) status of the entire constellation and system events.
- Description of the GPS System
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