History of GPS – Part II
ÂÂÂÂÂInitial Challenges of GPS Development
Almost immediately after launching, the Global Positioning System faced serious obstacles to continued growth and development. The biggest hurdle was financial. Although GPS technology received support from all branches of the military, it was not a standard weapons system, and its function was not as straightforward and well-defined as other military research opportunities vying for government dollars. In 1979, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) slashed the program’s budget by about 30 percent. As a result, the satellite design was significantly scaled down, and the plan for a 24-satellite constellation was temporarily reduced to 18. The development of Block IIs, the next generation of modern GPS satellites, was placed on hold. From 1980 to 1982, the program was altogether eliminated until the OSD rallied for its continued survival. The joint program office, a collaboration of the U.S. military branches overseeing GPS research, also argued for the importance of the technology in military applications by emphasizing the advantage of increased bombing accuracy.
Growth and Expansion of GPS Program
In 1986, tragedy struck the nation when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just seconds after taking flight. In addition to claiming the lives of seven crew members, the accident also delayed the launch of Block IIs by two years. The shuttle was the principle planned launch vehicle for the second generation of GPS satellites, but after the Challenger disaster, the JPO decided instead to use Delta II rockets to launch the Block IIs.
The first Block II satellites were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in 1989. The Block IIs had several significant improvements over first-generation satellites. Electronic components were radiation-hardened, which improved reliability and chances of survival. New technology allowed for greater security through anti-spoofing capability and full selective availability. Later models had the added ability to function for up to 180 days without contact from the land-based control segment, an improvement over the updates required every four days by earlier satellites.
After more than a decade of struggles, the GPS program accelerated by leaps and bounds in the 1990s. The technology received its first major test in the Persian Gulf crisis of 1990 to 1991. According to one Allied commander, two pieces of equipment, GPS and night-vision devices, were particularly instrumental in the success of Operation Desert Storm. The advantages of GPS were showcased especially well on desert terrain, where vast stretches of land with few roads or natural landmarks made navigation and precision difficult. Using GPS technology, troops were able to move with unprecedented accuracy. Almost every company carried a GPS receiver, and more than 10,000 additional commercial GPS units were ordered during the crisis to meet the increasing demand by military forces.
GPS Fully Integrated into U.S. Military Operations
Following its success in the Persian Gulf, GPS became an integral part of military operations. It was used to locate drop points for food and supplies in Somalia during 1993′s Operation Restore Hope, and a year later, troops relied to GPS to enter Haiti.
In March 1994, the 24th Block II satellite was launched, completing the proposed GPS constellation. The next year in 1995, the U.S. Air Force Space Command gave the NAVSTAR the status of Full Operational Capability. The system had successfully survived testing and was ready for complete military functionality.
During the Balkan crisis on 1995, the technology was critical for the air transport of aid supplies like food and medicine to Bosnians.
On June 2, 1995, one of the U.S. Air Force pilots serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Captain Scott O’Grady, was shot down by a Serbian ground-to-air missile, which immediately annihilated his F-16 aircraft. Through the explosion, O’Grady’s wingman did not see the 29-year-old pilot eject from the plane. But four days later, a call came over Air Force radio identified as “Basher 52″ – the call signal for Captain O’Grady.
A crew of Marines was dispatched to retrieve O’Grady, who in the meanwhile had been living behind enemy lines, eating grass and insects and traveling only under the cover of nightfall. The search and rescue team immediately headed to Bosnia, and in a dramatic and efficient manner, rescued O’Grady within a matter hours. The speedy recovery was due largely to the bravery and skill of the heroic Marines, but GPS played a large role in expediting the operation. O’Grady’s life vest contained a radio receiver that allowed the pilot to determine his exact position and relay it to the Air Force and Marines, which used the information to extract O’Grady with deft precision.
Pages: 1 2
Tags: Consumer Uses, History of GPS, Military Uses, Part II
No related posts.
