"Russia Challenges the U.S. Monopoly on Satellite Navigation"
TAKEN FROM: New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/business/worldbusiness/04gps.html?ex=1333339200&en=d9fb675674c894aa&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Even though the Cold War can be considered "officially" over, Russia and the United States are still competing over "space supremacy" and satellite navigation technology. With the great demand in the last decade for GPS technology, Russia, along with China and the European Union are competing with the U.S. for rights of navigation technology. By the end of the year, Russia hopes to rival the U.S.'s current system by launching eight navigation satellites that would complete "Glonass," Russia's first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Currently, the U.S. has a natural monopoly over satellite navigation as the technology is controlled and operated by the U.S. military. Russia is able to send signals by using their own satellites, but work only in stages and are not as effective as an operational system would be in the long-run.
So why the need to break the monopoly in the first place? For starters, GPS's beneficial uses are ever-increasing and should be controlled by more than one political entity. GPS today is able to assist in agriculture and banking operations, military efforts, as well as a host of other operational uses. Andrei Ionin fom the Russian defense ministry proved the need for navigation technology by stating, "In a few years, business without navigation signal will become inconceivable. Everything that moves will use a signal-airplanes, trains, people, rockets, valuable animals and favorite pets."
Although the U.S. is not technically discouraging entry into the market (Ronald Regan during the Korean Air flight wanted to make GPS available to the average civilian throughout the world), what statement are we making by being the only country controlling this technology? We are by far not the only country benefiting from GPS, so why are we the only ones controlling it? If the U.S. really wanted to, couldn't the military just switch or alter navigation signals in a time of crisis? Interesting thing to think about...
TAKEN FROM: New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/04/business/worldbusiness/04gps.html?ex=1333339200&en=d9fb675674c894aa&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Even though the Cold War can be considered "officially" over, Russia and the United States are still competing over "space supremacy" and satellite navigation technology. With the great demand in the last decade for GPS technology, Russia, along with China and the European Union are competing with the U.S. for rights of navigation technology. By the end of the year, Russia hopes to rival the U.S.'s current system by launching eight navigation satellites that would complete "Glonass," Russia's first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Currently, the U.S. has a natural monopoly over satellite navigation as the technology is controlled and operated by the U.S. military. Russia is able to send signals by using their own satellites, but work only in stages and are not as effective as an operational system would be in the long-run.
So why the need to break the monopoly in the first place? For starters, GPS's beneficial uses are ever-increasing and should be controlled by more than one political entity. GPS today is able to assist in agriculture and banking operations, military efforts, as well as a host of other operational uses. Andrei Ionin fom the Russian defense ministry proved the need for navigation technology by stating, "In a few years, business without navigation signal will become inconceivable. Everything that moves will use a signal-airplanes, trains, people, rockets, valuable animals and favorite pets."
Although the U.S. is not technically discouraging entry into the market (Ronald Regan during the Korean Air flight wanted to make GPS available to the average civilian throughout the world), what statement are we making by being the only country controlling this technology? We are by far not the only country benefiting from GPS, so why are we the only ones controlling it? If the U.S. really wanted to, couldn't the military just switch or alter navigation signals in a time of crisis? Interesting thing to think about...
