WASHINGTON — Members of a key advisory board questioned the U.S. military’s commitment to deliver enhancements to the Global Positioning System, arguing that the network is at risk of falling behind other satellite navigation systems built by Europe and China.
The critique came at last week’s annual meeting of the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Advisory Board.
Following a presentation by Col. Andrew Menschner, head of the Space Force unit that oversees GPS operations and sustainment, board vice chair Bradford Parkinson said the panel is disappointed by a lack of U.S. government funding for a planned GPS enhancement called High Accuracy and Robustness Service (HARS), a proposed augmentation that would provide improved accuracy and robustness to GPS signals.
Formerly the chief architect of GPS, Parkinson also questioned why there are still not enough satellites broadcasting the civilian L5 GPS signal, designed to meet demanding requirements for safety-of-life transportation and other high-performance applications.
Without sufficient resources and leadership advocacy, he said, there is valid concern that GPS — which provides navigation positioning and timing (PNT) data to more than six billion users across the world — is in danger of losing its edge at a time when competitors are rising.
The PNT Advisory Board, which held its 29th annual meeting on Dec. 6, provides independent advice to the U.S. government on GPS-related policy, planning, program management and funding.
Menschner’s presentation to the board focused on the recent consolidation of the Space Force’s PNT units into a so-called Integrated Mission Delta that brings together GPS satellite and ground-system operators, maintainers, trainers and developers of new technologies. The Space Systems Command that oversees procurement of major systems, including GPS satellites, also activated a new PNT-focused System Delta to create a…
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